Gary Robertson
Tomb Position
SentinelTomb Relief
Tomb Dates
Jun 1961 - May 1962Society Membership
Lifetime MemberObituary
Gary Robertson, 73, of Mt. Rainier, Maryland, passed from our world surrounded by his family on April 21, 2014, following a courageous battle with cancer. Gary was born June 11, 1940 in Washington, DC and grew up in Hyattsville, Maryland. Gary attended Northwestern High School, where he was a star athlete and Washington Metropolitan area wrestling champion. Following high school, Gary spent several years in the US Army as a paratrooper, ranger and ultimately a relief commander guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Gary graduated from the University of Maryland and taught high school English for several years before turning to a career in accounting. Gary loved to hike and camp and had a passion for art, music and photography. During the last decades of his life, Gary and his wife turned selflessly to the care of children born with severe handicaps, initially as foster parents and ultimately as adoptive parents. Gary is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Daniel Robertson; and his adopted daughter, Anna Herres. Gary is survived by his wife, Abigail Herres; his first wife, JoAnn Robertson and their three children Mark Robertson, Dawn Coapstick (Bryan) and Paul Robertson; his adopted children Alfreda and Kentrell Herres; and his grandchildren Tyler and Rachel Coapstick.Memories & Condolences
He was a close & good friend of mine & my family. He was a good man and I think of him quite often.... LOVE YOU GARY
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Did you know?
Has anyone ever tried to get past the Tomb guards, or attempted to deface the Tomb?
Yes, that is the reason why we now guard the Tomb. Back in the early 1920's, we didn't have guards and the Tomb looked much different. It was flat at ground level without the 70 ton marble 'cap'. People often came to the cemetery in those days and a few actually used the Tomb as a picnic area, likely because of the view. Soon after in 1925, they posted a civilian guard. In 1926, a US Army soldier was posted during cemetery hours. On July 1, 1937 guard duty was expanded to the 24 hour watch. Since then, the ceremony has evolved throughout the years to what you see today. Today, most of the challenges faced by the Sentinels are tourists who are speaking too loudly or attempting to get a better picture (by entering the post).
