Olive Lousie Robertson

Olive Louise Robertson passed away peacefully on October 4, 2022, at the age of 95, with family by her side. Born May 21, 1927, in Burke, ID, to Edith and Grover Walker, the family lost Olive’s father in a mining accident when she was 12 years old. Her mother returned to Hutchinson, MN, so her three children could grow up among the large extended family who lived and farmed there. Olive graduated from both high school and college with honors, earning a B.S. in Public Health Nursing in 1951 from the University of Minnesota.

Always up for adventure, Olive packed her bags and drove to Alaska. She was the Public Health Nurse for multiple remote villages, which she often reached by bush plane and dog sleds. Never one to boast, we recently learned from saved articles that she had triaged a plane accident and received high praise for her quick action, and was credited with saving many lives. When asked, she said, “I just did what needed to be done.”

Living in Anchorage, she met and married Roger R. Robertson, Jr., where they welcomed their two daughters. They had a brief stint in Seattle, where their son was born, before moving to Walla Walla in 1962.

While raising a family in Walla Walla, Olive worked in pediatrics as a registered nurse for many years. Her warmth and positivity worked wonders with the many children she helped to treat. She cared for multiple generations of some families. After retiring, she went back to work in Public Health, giving travelers their shots and working with outlying communities.

Olive loved all that the Walla Walla Valley offered. She particularly enjoyed the outdoors, biking with the Wheatland Wheelers and pedaling over 1000 miles a year into her 80s. Additionally, she loved cross-country skiing, bird watching and even climbed Mt St. Helens at age 60. She enjoyed taking Quest classes and all the people she met. For Olive, friendships made life worth living, and she enjoyed activities such as playing Bridge, singing with Sweet Adelines, and going to plays and concerts.

She loved to travel and visited many countries, including some on bicycle. Our National Parks were among her favorites, as were family gatherings.

She believed life was for living and put action to those words. She believed in being responsible, helping others, eating vegetables, and taking the stairs rather than an elevator. She was proud to consider herself part of America’s greatest generation.

Olive was preceded in death by her husband Roger, sister Alice and brother Bill. She is survived by her three children, Cindy, Susan, and David; granddaughter, Dylan; one cousin; three nieces; and two nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests you hop on your bike and take a ride around Walla Walla. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, please consider the Blue Mountain Humane Society or the Audubon Society.

Our mother loved the Blue Mountains, and the family will be establishing a bench with a view in her honor. There will be no public services at this time, as the family will meet at a later date to celebrate Olive’s wonderful, loving life.