Margaret Roberson, born June 11, 1911, in Stephenville, Texas, died on March 23, 2012, in Dallas, Texas.
An 80-year resident of McCamey, she was a member of one of the early families to settle there. In 1926, at the age of 15, she arrived in McCamey with her parents, Jacob (Jake) and Cora Moore. This was only a few months after the discovery of oil and the town was newly incorporated. They ran the OK Grocery, a laundry, and later operated Camp Moore, where many of the oil field workers lived.
In 1937 she married J.L. (Robby) Roberson in Andrews, Texas. The couple was secretly married for a year before it was announced. It is known that when they were married, the groom had the carpet on the floor pulled up so that they could stand in a straight line with the floorboards during the ceremony. A superstition of the times noted that this position would ensure the couple a long-lasting marriage – and it did.
In 1947 they bought the Bluebonnet café, which came to be known simply as The Bluebonnet. It was a favorite gathering place for local residents, high school students, ranchers, and oil field workers. Mr. Roberson, who served one term as McCamey's mayor and was also involved in ranching, died in 1972.
For 25 years, the Robersons ran the Bluebonnet. Judge Roberson continued to operate it for 15 additional years after her husband's death. The site of the Bluebonnet is now occupied by Benoit's Restaurant.
McCamey's Mendoza Trail Museum proudly displays the distinctive curved checkout counter and the café's dark blue front window with "Bluebonnet" in bright print, both of which were familiar features to the customers.
In 1977, Margaret Roberson entered public life and was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct 3, a position she held continuously until her retirement in 1998. As Justice of the Peace, she was on 24-hour call and often held court in the Bluebonnet, in the living room of her home, or at any other place where the deputies could find her, until the State restricted the functions of the Justice of the Peace to their physical office. In 2004, she was honored by the McCamey Chamber of Commerce as Pioneer of the Year.
Judge Roberson loved and enjoyed the wide-open spaces that surrounded her West Texas town, which had become her home. On summer nights she would often take a drive around McCamey, stopping for an ice cream or milkshake at one of the local drive-ins. Trips to Odessa and Midland for shopping or a movie were routine. When family from out of town visited, she was the first to suggest packing a picnic basket for a day trip to the Davis Mountains or Big Bend.
In 2006 she moved to Dallas, living in retirement among other members of her family who had migrated there through the years. Last June the family and friends gathered there to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Judge Roberson is survived by her daughter, Barbara Allen, who lives in London, England; a brother, Bill Moore, and sister, Jean Keffer, both of whom live in Dallas. She was preceded in death by a 3-year-old sister, Dorothy Evelyn, and brothers, J.C., Leon, and Allen. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews. A remembrance celebration for Judge Roberson was held March 29 in Dallas and another is being planned for May in McCamey.
Published in Odessa American on Apr. 8, 2012
An 80-year resident of McCamey, she was a member of one of the early families to settle there. In 1926, at the age of 15, she arrived in McCamey with her parents, Jacob (Jake) and Cora Moore. This was only a few months after the discovery of oil and the town was newly incorporated. They ran the OK Grocery, a laundry, and later operated Camp Moore, where many of the oil field workers lived.
In 1937 she married J.L. (Robby) Roberson in Andrews, Texas. The couple was secretly married for a year before it was announced. It is known that when they were married, the groom had the carpet on the floor pulled up so that they could stand in a straight line with the floorboards during the ceremony. A superstition of the times noted that this position would ensure the couple a long-lasting marriage – and it did.
In 1947 they bought the Bluebonnet café, which came to be known simply as The Bluebonnet. It was a favorite gathering place for local residents, high school students, ranchers, and oil field workers. Mr. Roberson, who served one term as McCamey's mayor and was also involved in ranching, died in 1972.
For 25 years, the Robersons ran the Bluebonnet. Judge Roberson continued to operate it for 15 additional years after her husband's death. The site of the Bluebonnet is now occupied by Benoit's Restaurant.
McCamey's Mendoza Trail Museum proudly displays the distinctive curved checkout counter and the café's dark blue front window with "Bluebonnet" in bright print, both of which were familiar features to the customers.
In 1977, Margaret Roberson entered public life and was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct 3, a position she held continuously until her retirement in 1998. As Justice of the Peace, she was on 24-hour call and often held court in the Bluebonnet, in the living room of her home, or at any other place where the deputies could find her, until the State restricted the functions of the Justice of the Peace to their physical office. In 2004, she was honored by the McCamey Chamber of Commerce as Pioneer of the Year.
Judge Roberson loved and enjoyed the wide-open spaces that surrounded her West Texas town, which had become her home. On summer nights she would often take a drive around McCamey, stopping for an ice cream or milkshake at one of the local drive-ins. Trips to Odessa and Midland for shopping or a movie were routine. When family from out of town visited, she was the first to suggest packing a picnic basket for a day trip to the Davis Mountains or Big Bend.
In 2006 she moved to Dallas, living in retirement among other members of her family who had migrated there through the years. Last June the family and friends gathered there to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Judge Roberson is survived by her daughter, Barbara Allen, who lives in London, England; a brother, Bill Moore, and sister, Jean Keffer, both of whom live in Dallas. She was preceded in death by a 3-year-old sister, Dorothy Evelyn, and brothers, J.C., Leon, and Allen. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews. A remembrance celebration for Judge Roberson was held March 29 in Dallas and another is being planned for May in McCamey.
Published in Odessa American on Apr. 8, 2012
Margaret Roberson, born June 11, 1911, in Stephenville, Texas, died on March 23, 2012, in Dallas, Texas.
An 80-year resident of McCamey, she was a member of one of the early families to settle there. In 1926, at the age of 15, she arrived in McCamey with her parents, Jacob (Jake) and Cora Moore. This was only a few months after the discovery of oil and the town was newly incorporated. They ran the OK Grocery, a laundry, and later operated Camp Moore, where many of the oil field workers lived.
In 1937 she married J.L. (Robby) Roberson in Andrews, Texas. The couple was secretly married for a year before it was announced. It is known that when they were married, the groom had the carpet on the floor pulled up so that they could stand in a straight line with the floorboards during the ceremony. A superstition of the times noted that this position would ensure the couple a long-lasting marriage – and it did.
In 1947 they bought the Bluebonnet café, which came to be known simply as The Bluebonnet. It was a favorite gathering place for local residents, high school students, ranchers, and oil field workers. Mr. Roberson, who served one term as McCamey's mayor and was also involved in ranching, died in 1972.
For 25 years, the Robersons ran the Bluebonnet. Judge Roberson continued to operate it for 15 additional years after her husband's death. The site of the Bluebonnet is now occupied by Benoit's Restaurant.
McCamey's Mendoza Trail Museum proudly displays the distinctive curved checkout counter and the café's dark blue front window with "Bluebonnet" in bright print, both of which were familiar features to the customers.
In 1977, Margaret Roberson entered public life and was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct 3, a position she held continuously until her retirement in 1998. As Justice of the Peace, she was on 24-hour call and often held court in the Bluebonnet, in the living room of her home, or at any other place where the deputies could find her, until the State restricted the functions of the Justice of the Peace to their physical office. In 2004, she was honored by the McCamey Chamber of Commerce as Pioneer of the Year.
Judge Roberson loved and enjoyed the wide-open spaces that surrounded her West Texas town, which had become her home. On summer nights she would often take a drive around McCamey, stopping for an ice cream or milkshake at one of the local drive-ins. Trips to Odessa and Midland for shopping or a movie were routine. When family from out of town visited, she was the first to suggest packing a picnic basket for a day trip to the Davis Mountains or Big Bend.
In 2006 she moved to Dallas, living in retirement among other members of her family who had migrated there through the years. Last June the family and friends gathered there to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Judge Roberson is survived by her daughter, Barbara Allen, who lives in London, England; a brother, Bill Moore, and sister, Jean Keffer, both of whom live in Dallas. She was preceded in death by a 3-year-old sister, Dorothy Evelyn, and brothers, J.C., Leon, and Allen. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews. A remembrance celebration for Judge Roberson was held March 29 in Dallas and another is being planned for May in McCamey.
Published in Odessa American on Apr. 8, 2012
An 80-year resident of McCamey, she was a member of one of the early families to settle there. In 1926, at the age of 15, she arrived in McCamey with her parents, Jacob (Jake) and Cora Moore. This was only a few months after the discovery of oil and the town was newly incorporated. They ran the OK Grocery, a laundry, and later operated Camp Moore, where many of the oil field workers lived.
In 1937 she married J.L. (Robby) Roberson in Andrews, Texas. The couple was secretly married for a year before it was announced. It is known that when they were married, the groom had the carpet on the floor pulled up so that they could stand in a straight line with the floorboards during the ceremony. A superstition of the times noted that this position would ensure the couple a long-lasting marriage – and it did.
In 1947 they bought the Bluebonnet café, which came to be known simply as The Bluebonnet. It was a favorite gathering place for local residents, high school students, ranchers, and oil field workers. Mr. Roberson, who served one term as McCamey's mayor and was also involved in ranching, died in 1972.
For 25 years, the Robersons ran the Bluebonnet. Judge Roberson continued to operate it for 15 additional years after her husband's death. The site of the Bluebonnet is now occupied by Benoit's Restaurant.
McCamey's Mendoza Trail Museum proudly displays the distinctive curved checkout counter and the café's dark blue front window with "Bluebonnet" in bright print, both of which were familiar features to the customers.
In 1977, Margaret Roberson entered public life and was elected Justice of the Peace of Precinct 3, a position she held continuously until her retirement in 1998. As Justice of the Peace, she was on 24-hour call and often held court in the Bluebonnet, in the living room of her home, or at any other place where the deputies could find her, until the State restricted the functions of the Justice of the Peace to their physical office. In 2004, she was honored by the McCamey Chamber of Commerce as Pioneer of the Year.
Judge Roberson loved and enjoyed the wide-open spaces that surrounded her West Texas town, which had become her home. On summer nights she would often take a drive around McCamey, stopping for an ice cream or milkshake at one of the local drive-ins. Trips to Odessa and Midland for shopping or a movie were routine. When family from out of town visited, she was the first to suggest packing a picnic basket for a day trip to the Davis Mountains or Big Bend.
In 2006 she moved to Dallas, living in retirement among other members of her family who had migrated there through the years. Last June the family and friends gathered there to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Judge Roberson is survived by her daughter, Barbara Allen, who lives in London, England; a brother, Bill Moore, and sister, Jean Keffer, both of whom live in Dallas. She was preceded in death by a 3-year-old sister, Dorothy Evelyn, and brothers, J.C., Leon, and Allen. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews. A remembrance celebration for Judge Roberson was held March 29 in Dallas and another is being planned for May in McCamey.
Published in Odessa American on Apr. 8, 2012
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