Greenwood businessman Spann Robertson knew a lot about cotton — and friends say he knew a lot about people, too.
“He was a very good, honest, upstanding businessman,” said longtime friend and colleague Sam Gullette, owner of Gullette Cotton Co. “He was ethical in every way. He was friends with the farmers and the merchants. His favorite expression was ‘If it ain’t right, we’ll make it right.’”
Mr. Robertson, 79, of Coila, died Wednesday morning at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Black Hawk Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Wilson & Knight Funeral Home in Greenwood.
Daughter Jeanna Robertson, who worked with her father at Spann Robertson Cotton Marketing for more than 20 years, said, “I can tell you he was a great father, a great husband and a great grandfather and a great great-grandfather, and we’ll miss him greatly.”
She vowed to continue the company that bears her father’s name.
Mr. Robertson, a native of Black Hawk, graduated from Holmes Agricultural High in 1953 and entered Holmes Community College in 1954.
After joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 1955, he served a tour in the Mediterranean Sea and was honorably discharged in 1958.
Returning to civilian life, Mr. Robertson went to work for Staplcotn in August 1958 in a clerical position. He worked with the cooperative for 21 years, rising to the position of vice president of the marketing, financing and warehousing divisions.
In 1979, he left Staplcotn and formed Robertson & Walker Cotton Co. with partner Sonny Walker. Later, he and Pershing Chassaniol formed the Chassaniol & Robertson Cotton Co.
In 1990, Mr. Robertson started his own business, Spann Robertson Cotton Marketing.
“Spann and I were in the same type of business — representing farmers,” said Emmett Chassaniol, who owns Chassaniol & Co. Cotton. “Obviously we did a good job; we’ve kept them over the years.”
Mr. Robertson was a former president of the Greenwood Cotton Exchange who also had served on the exchange’s board of directors. Gullette, who now lives in Reunion, said Mr. Robertson was “very instrumental” in the organization.
Mr. Robertson was a trusted colleague, Gullette said: “He was a mighty fine person, a mighty fine businessman. I always knew where he stood.”
Bubba Buford, president of Buford Cotton Co., said, “Spann was a fine cotton man and a gentleman in the cotton field. He was an ambassador of cotton. He was loyal to his people and loyal to his business.”
Chassaniol said they talked a lot about the future of cotton but also enjoyed talking about fishing. Mr. Robertson was past president of the Leflore County Hunting & Fishing Association and was its longest-serving board member.
A member of Black Hawk Methodist Church, he also was active in the restoration and preservation of the historic Black Hawk School and led the annual Black Hawk School Reunion for several years.
Mr. Robertson is survived by his wife, Carol Jean Edwards Robertson of Coila, and four adult children.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the owner of Chassaniol & Co. Cotton, Emmett Chassaniol, who spoke about Mr. Robertson.
