Nancy Robertson, who spent her childhood in Pacific Palisades, died on July 22. She was 62 years old. Born on April 20, 1947 in Long Beach, Nancy attended Palisades Elementary, Paul Revere, and Palisades High. In 1965, she married Jim Schweider and moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State College, while Jim joined the Marine Corps and was sent to Vietnam. Like so many marriages during the war, that union ended and Nancy married Hayden Robertson, a student she met in college. This marriage also failed, after Nancy graduated with a bachelor’s degree and earned a teaching credential. While teaching in San Diego, Nancy met the love of her life, Ernie McCray, the principal at her school, who considered himself, as her husband, to be the ‘luckiest man in the world.’ Not long after meeting they began a 34-year relationship that lasted until her death, and raised three beautiful, bright children, the pride of their lives: Tawny Maya, Nyla Summer and Carlos Biko McCray. Tawny and Nyla graduated from San Diego State with degrees in journalism and child development, respectively. Carlos majored in child development at Cal State Long Beach and is now working on a master’s degree in social work at San Diego State. Nancy was active politically and socially in her neighborhood and in the city of San Diego at large. She was committed to animal causes and helping children. The block where she lived with her husband in Golden Hill/South Park is lined with trees that Nancy planted, including the tree in their front yard that supplied friends with some of the best avocados in town. Friends of the McRobs (a name they called themselves) also enjoyed Nancy’s guacamole recipe with its obligatory ‘Grow an avocado tree from a seed (optional).’ Nancy became a vegetarian and a peace advocate out of her love and respect for all creatures big and small. Everyone who knew her was touched by her fierce passion, generosity, love and kindness. She practiced yoga and loved to swim. Walking all over her beautiful neighborhood and city, she greeted everyone along the way with a smile and a ‘hello.’ A photographer, she took photos of weddings, birthdays, sunsets and families that adorn her home and that can be found throughout the homes of her friends. In addition to her husband Ernie (her beloved ‘Ernesto’) and her three children, Nancy is survived by her sister, Diane Bayliss Pauley. A memorial service will be held at Golden Hill Park (25th and A Street) in San Diego at 5 p.m. on August 23. Her ashes will be scattered by friends and family all over the world. Donations can be made to the Nancy Robertson Yoga Scholarship Fund at 4061′ Kansas St., San Diego, CA 92104.
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