Keith Carlton ROBERTSON

ROBERTSON, WOODBURN, SASAKI, LONG, DUBBS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/23/2008 at 11:54:33

New York Times, NY, copyright
September 30, 1991

Keith Robertson, 77; Wrote 5-Book Series For Schoolchildren

Keith Carlton Robertson, who wrote murder mysteries as well as children's books over 40 years, died last Monday at his house in Hopewell, N.J. He was 77 years old. He died of cancer, his daughter Hope said.

Mr. Robertson began writing children's books in 1948 with "Ticktock and Jim." The five books of his "Henry Reed" series began with "Henry Reed Inc." in 1958 and ended with "Henry Reed's Think Tank" in 1986. In 1961, he won the William Allen White Children's Award for "Henry Reed, Inc." and in 1969 for "Henry Reed's Babysitting Service." The prize is awarded by a vote of schoolchildren in Kansas, who read selected books and choose their favorite author. Mr. Robertson also wrote six adult murder mysteries under the name of Carlton Keith.

Mr. Robertson helped establish the Rutgers University Advisory Council on Children's Literature to help aspiring authors. He was on the boards of the Hopewell Museum and the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy, he served in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters in World War II and commanded a destroyer. He earned five battle stars. Mr. Robertson retired from the service as a captain in the Naval Reserve.

His wife, Elizabeth Woodburn Robertson, a rare-book dealer, died in November. Surviving are a son, Jerry, of Hopewell; three daughters, Christina, of Philadelphia, Hope, of Stockton, N.J., and Mariko Sasaki of Fort Lee, N.J.; two sisters, Idella Long of Laurens, Iowa, and and Elaine Dubbs of Des Moines, and two grandchildren.

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University of Iowa Libraries -- Special Collections:

Keith Carlton Robertson was born in Dows, Iowa, in 1914. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1937 and served in World War II in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres as the captain of a destroyer. He stayed in the Naval Reserve until his retirement at age 62.

He married Elizabeth Woodburn, a rare books dealer, and they had one son and three daughters. His first published book Ticktock and Jim appeared in 1948 but his most recognized book, Henry Reed Inc., was published in 1958. Keith Robertson was primarily a children's book author but he also wrote a number of adult mystery novels under the name Carlton Keith. In 1961 Keith Robertson won the William Allen White Award for Henry Reed Inc. and again in 1969 for Henry Reed's Babysitting Service. His literary agent was Curtis Brown, Ltd. He died in 1991.