Boydine Elizabeth Hisam was born on January 11, 1950, and passed into eternal life on June 30, 2023, at her home with her loved ones near.
Boydine was born at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. She was the third of five children born into the military family of Boyd O. Robertson and Jeweldine (“Jeri”) Elizabeth Warren Robertson. Boydine’s father originally served in the Navy, but later made his career in the Air Force, which meant that his family moved many times.
The Robertsons five children were each born in a different state, their names are Ernestine (“Teen”) Ann, Karen Dale, Boydine Elizabeth, Danny Boyd, and Connie Mae. Boydine’s name was given to honor her parents by combining their names Boyd and Jeweldine to create Boydine.
Boydine attended school in several towns, including Fairfield, CA, Cheyenne, WY, and Yuma, Colorado. When Boyd retired from military service, the family moved to Yuma, where Boydine graduated from Yuma High School with the class of 1968.
As a young girl Boydine worked at the dime store and Montgomery Ward in Yuma. Boydine met Steve Hisam at the Yuma city park by the old swimming pool the summer before her sophomore year of high school. A few months later, the couple began to date.
On August 16, 1968, Boydine Elizabeth Robertson and Stephen Lynn Hisam were married at the home of Bill and Jo Robertson, the bride’s aunt and uncle in Yuma, Colorado while Steve was home on leave from the US Navy.
The young newlyweds then lived in Virginia and Florida while Steve was in the Navy on the USS Roosevelt as an air traffic controller. After leaving military service in 1970 the couple moved back to Sterling, Colorado.
To this marital union, three children were born: Robie Jean on October 30, 1972, Kelly Stephen on December 11, 1973, and Jeri Dawn on February 4, 1975. The three Hisam kids were close in age and kept Boydine busy being a full-time mom for many years.
The family moved back to Yuma in 1974, living in many different homes where Steve helped with the wiring. Steve and Boydine also owned the Smorgasbord in Yuma until 1986, with the help of their children peeling many potatoes and cutting up countless chickens. They owned and operated their café RKJ’s in various locations in Yuma and Sterling the following years, with the final site being in Sterling that closed operation in September of 2015 after being open for 18 years in that location.
Boydine was loved by her extended family for her sense of humor, her contagious laugh, and her kind heart. She loved to show others her love by cooking and feeding them, having served many delicious breakfasts and pancakes over the years. Her family always knew how much she loved them, as she never missed an opportunity to tell them.
Boydine loved being a grandmother to her six grandchildren, Taryn Elizabeth Hisam her only granddaughter, Killian Daniel Hisam, Maddox Christian Hisam, Jace William Bush, Jakob Stephen Bush, and Jakson Cannon Bush.
Boydine passed away at her home in Sterling with her family at her side, right where she wished to be.
She was preceded in death by her parents Boyd Ollie Robertson and Jeweldine Elizabeth Robertson, her stepmother, Marilee Baird Robertson, her husband of nearly 46 years Stephen Lynn Hisam, sister Karen Dale Anderson, niece Alison Elizabeth Anderson, nephew Danny Lynn Anderson, and son-in-law Andrew Martin Herman.
She is survived by daughter Robie Hisam-Herman, son Kelly Hisam and wife Alison, daughter Jeri Bush and husband John; grandchildren Taryn, Killian, and Maddox Hisam, Jace, Jakob and Jakson Bush; her sister Ernestine Robertson, sister Connie Korf and husband Rick, brother Dan Robertson and wife MaryKay; many close nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends who will miss her dearly.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday July 15, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Yuma with Pastor Michael Fitzsimmons officiating. Bowin Funeral Home will provide services, with cremation arrangements being made.
2023-07-07