Bradley Ray Robertson

June 29, 1964 - May 14, 2020

Bradley Ray was born on June 29, 1964 in Jay, OK to Kenneth Ray Robertson and Marline Gay (Haggard) Robertson. He passed from this life on May 14, 2020 and entered the gates of Heaven to begin his eternal fishing trip. He’s most likely watching baseball and might even play 3rd base for a few innings. He strived daily to have his faith be evident in his choices and attitudes toward life so he could be an example to his children and those around him. Brad went to Jay Public Schools and loved being a Bulldog. He grew up supporting and attending all sporting events and loved watching the whole town shut down to travel with the team ultimately becoming the “rowdy fans from Jay.” His greatest memories growing up were the whole family, along with any other friends, piling into the RV and taking a road trip to Tulsa and beyond. He always likened it to a clown car because when they arrived at their destination, the people just kept coming out. For him, the fishing trips were legendary and hunting in the fields around Jay made up his world. Baseball has always been a huge part of Brad’s life. He grew up watching his mom and dad play ball in the community and he was hit with baseball fever and never lost that love. He played little league and finished his career playing 3rd base for the Jay Bulldogs High School team. He went onto coach the Salina 3A American Legion ball team and followed his passion to college at NSU to become a coach. Brad’s love for his sisters Gwen and Amy was unrivaled. He was the middle child, but the only boy so he felt he was their biggest protector, defender and cheerleader. He would have moved heaven and earth to be there for them and help them reach for the stars as well as achieve their dreams. He loved them ever so. He talked of his love for his 3 life-long brothers from other mothers who came to live with Kenny and Marline during Brad’s high school days: Burl Cox, John Cox and Jeff Duncan. The stories of their escapades will live on in infamy. Brad married Lisa Timmons (now Pinnick), who gave birth to his 3 most prized possessions in this world: Dillon Ray, Shelby Lynn and Nathan Tucker. While Brad and Lisa’s story may have gone in different directions, their friendship continued until his passing. Brad met Lori Webb McCorkle at TPWA, and let’s just say, at first, they did not see eye-to-eye. His smart aleck nature (as we all know well) led him to prank her and pick on her relentlessly. They became friends in time and the rest is history. They married in 2003 at Robber’s Cave and the Robertson Crew of 7 became a family. Brad’s favorite saying that lived on and still today in the family: “When it comes together, it really comes together!” One thing agreed upon from the beginning was that there were no steps in the house except the ones on the front porch. Forevermore, Lori’s children Tyler Wayne McCorkle and Tarah Ellen McCorkle became his “heart babies” and Dillon, Shelby, and Tucker became her “heart babies”. The family enjoyed many camping and fishing trips to Robber’s Cave and Lake Eucha along with going to see The Tulsa Drillers, OKC Red Hawks and the Texas Rangers play baseball. They made many trips as the “Wolf Pack” which would have Brad reminiscent of his own family’s trips. Brad and Lori’s joy in life was to go to yard sales, flea markets and auctions to haggle and deal. They were their own best friends and they loved doing life together. Over the years before law enforcement, Brad worked with his dad building docks on Grand Lake, working at the Tyson Chicken Plant in Jay, OK and he even started his own business of spreading chicken litter fertilizer on the fields around the Jay area. While attending NSU in 1986 to become a history teacher and coach, he found his true passion while working for the NSU Police Department. With only a few college credits left and his full internship underway, he left the educational world behind and went straight into law enforcement full-time. He became a reserve for the Delaware County Sheriff Department, a Jay Police Officer, and then on to his forever home at the Tahlequah Police Department. The brotherhood of men that he met at the PD played a major role in his life from mentorship to friendship. John 15:13 is a testament to their bond: Greater love hath no man than this - a man lay down his life for his friends. The final leg of his career was spent as an SRO for the Tahlequah School District. He began at Heritage and spent the last 2 years at Cherokee Elementary where Lori teaches 2nd grade. His love for the kids, families and staff of Cherokee was one of the utmost priorities until the end. He often mentioned, “I now understand how a person could have a strong connection to 430 kids and want the best for each one” and the love he had for the Tahlequah Community was why he said, “Jay is where I was raised, but Tahlequah is my hometown.” Throughout the many years of adventures, his most rewarding job was Papa (Poppa): Starting in 2008 with Tai Jordyn Correa, then Kingston LeRod Porter, Aurora Grace Hood, Elena Rae Hood, Apollo Rey Terrell and last, but not least, Magdalene RaeBeth Robertson. His joy over the births of the next generation had his heart overflowing with love. He enjoyed taking them camping, gardening, working in the yard and just adored their company. The man that we all love “to infinity and beyond” had many names and wore many hats. He was adoringly referred to as son, brother, Bub, Brad, husband, Bradley Ray, dad, Papa, Officer Robertson and kindly referred to as a pain in the rear along with other terms of endearment. When Brad passed, he was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, John and Iva Haggard, his paternal grandparents, Willie and Lillie Robertson, his uncle Billy Robertson, his brother from another mother Willie Epps, and his best fishing buddy - his father Kenneth Ray Robertson. He is survived by his wife and love of his life Lori Ellen Robertson, his 5 children – Tyler, Tarah, Dillon, Shelby, and Tucker, all of his grandkids, his mother Marline Robertson, 2 sisters Gwen Robertson and Amy Walsh, his 3 brothers – John, Burl, and Jeff, a slew of nieces and nephews, his brothers and sisters of the Tahlequah Police Department and Tahlequah SRO Team along with host of friends and family. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please donate to South College Church of Christ in Tahlequah, OK.