John Dallas Robertson, 1920 - 2000John Dallas Robertson was born April 19, 1920, in Norfolk, Virginia. After living in the Midwest for a number of years, his family returned to Virginia and made Alexandria their home. There, Dallas attended Del Ray Church and graduated from George Washington High School. During World War II, he built models of military aircraft at Langley Field. After the war, he began his preparation for the ministry, earning his baccalaureate degree Phi Beta Kappa at Randolph-Macon College in 1950, and continuing his study at Westminster Seminary and Vanderbilt University. In 1954, he was ordained and entered into Full Connection in the Virginia Conference. In 1952, he married Jennie Martin of Statesville, North Carolina. To that union was born a son, George, who with his wife and two children and his mother, Jennie, survive. Also surviving are two of Dallas’ sisters, Genevieve Barclay and Eva Jane Crabill. Dallas’ career in the Virginia Conference included six pastorates and 16 years on the faculty of Shenandoah University. From his ordination until 1967, he served parishes in the following locations: Arlington, Stafford, Urbanna, Norfolk, and Dumfries. After completing his studies for the Ph.D. at George Washington University in 1969, he joined the faculty of Shenandoah to teach courses in history, religion, and philosophy and to supervise the operation of the Division of Social Sciences during the expansion of a junior college curriculum into a baccalaureate degree program. After retiring from Shenandoah in 1985, he served the Rectortown Charge for three years. In 1998, he and Jennie moved to Culpeper, Virginia, and joined the United Methodist church there. In his parish work, Dallas was known for dedicated leadership and compassionate pastoral care; and during his tenure at Shenandoah, he demonstrated a pastor’s concern for his students while demanding the highest academic performance. As division chairman, he inspired loyalty and cooperation among his faculty. While living in Winchester, both Dallas and Jennie were active historians, helping Braddock Street Church develop its archives and giving guidance to the EUB Archives at Shenandoah University, where Jennie worked in the library. Dallas’ dissertation on Bishop Christian Newcomer, the United Brethren preaching companion of Bishop Asbury, is in that archival collection. In September 1999, Dallas received the Old Stone Church Foundation Service Award after serving on its board for a number of years. The Rev. J. Dallas Robertson entered his eternal rest at the Culpeper Regional Hospital Sunday, May 14, 2000, after a brief illness. Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Marvin C. Cook and the Rev. Bruce C. Souders in Culpeper United Methodist Church, May 16. Interment took place at the Pisgah United Methodist Church Cemetery, Hiddenite, North Carolina. — Bruce C. Souders |