Alfred Charles Robertson, 74, of Cape Girardeau, Mo. passed away Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 11, 1935 in Los Angeles, California, to Alfred Sebron Robertson and Irene Albertine Robinson Robertson. He married Mary Ann Rheinecker July 4, 1958 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Belleville, Illinois.

He graduated from Nordhoff High School, Ojai California, in 1953. He entered the United States Air Force, attending basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, Radio Operaters School at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, and Cryptographic Operations School, Scott AFB, Illinois. He spent 18 months with the Security Service at Elmendorf AFB and King Salmon AFB, Alaska. He became an instructor at the crypto school at Scott AFB, Illinois and moved with the school to Lackland AFB, Texas where he spent the remainder of his service.

Alfred returned to school at Bakersfield College, California, Belleville Junior College, Illinois and Illinois State University where he obtained his bachelor and masters degrees. He became an instructor at Southeast Missouri State University in 1962. Later, he completed his doctorate at Oklahoma State University. He served on numerous committees at the college and university levels including chair of the Faculty Senate during the 1989-90 academic year. He also served as president of the Missouri Council for Geographic Education (1963-64); was elected secretary (1983-86), treasurer (1986-1989), and president of the Missouri Academy of Science (1992-93). He was elected Fellow of the organization in 1990. Dr. Robertson also gave climatologica1 presentations at local, state, regional and national levels. He published several articles on the local climate and compiled two booklets, one illustrated, on weather records for Cape Girardeau. He presented climatic and weather related data to the local media for many years before retiring in 1998. He recently became a member of the Sons of the American Revolution due to genealogical findings that his great -great -great grandfather was a member of the Revolutionary War forces in South Carolina. He served as president of the St. Vincent de Paul Home and School Association and was on the parish council for a year. He was a member of the Men’s Club of the parish and of the Executive Committee of Cape Girardeau.

Alfred is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, and daughters Alana (Marc) Moehlman of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Beth Ann (Chad) Potokar of Pueblo, Colorado. He has three grandchildren, Lauren and David Litchliter and Olivia Potokar of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Larry Gene Robertson of Bakersfield, California.