Pat Hudson Robertson, 96, died Feb. 6, 2015

The mother of Camp Longhorn, Pat Hudson Robertson, passed away peacefully at home in her sleep February 6, 2015. 

Pat was born July 20, 1918, in Ferguson, Missouri, to Robert “Bob Bob” and Lucile “Honey” Hudson. She and her family moved to Dallas when she was 8 years old. She graduated from Highland Park High School in 1937.

While at the Dallas Country Club the summer following her graduation, she noticed a group of swimmers from the University of Texas entertaining a crowd at the swimming pool. That was the first time she saw Tex Robertson. She told friends she had just seen the man she would marry. In December 1939, just five months after seeing Tex for the first time, they married. The first leg of their honeymoon was spent at Inks Lake near Burnet, Texas, where Tex told her of his dream to start a summer camp for boys. His dream became hers as well, and Camp Longhorn was born. That first summer they had 1½ campers.

During the years just before WWII, the camp grew to 40 boys. The war caused a short break in operations, but the camp resumed just as soon as Tex returned from active duty. In 1950, to the delight of the boys camp, a girls camp was added.

During the time of rapid growth of the camp, Pat and Tex were also busy raising five children of their own.

In 1975 a second location, Camp Longhorn Indian Springs, opened. Pat was the camp mother to more than 100,000 children during her 76 years at Camp Longhorn and wrote the lyrics to the Camp song. Her amazing ability to nurture each child’s self-esteem and to help them feel welcomed is illustrated by the camp motto, “Everybody is somebody at Camp Longhorn.”

In appreciation for all the lives that she touched, the Highland Park Alumni Association honored Pat with the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award. That same year, she was presented the Frank Erwin Award for outstanding contributions to Longhorn swimming and diving. Tex called her his right-hand gal, as she served as chief organizer for all the crazy events he came up with. She served many years as scorekeeper at University of Texas and Burnet Swimming meets. Pat was an active member of the Seton Associates. She cherished her Burnet friends, water aerobics, watching sports, and traveling.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, parents, and brothers, Bob and John Hudson. She is survived by sons John and wife Donna, Robby and wife Deidra, Bill and wife Carol; daughters Sally Lucksinger and Nan and husband Bobby Manning; 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Interment will be on Church Mountain with a service for the immediate family. The Camp Longhorn family is planning a celebration of her life to be held at Camp Longhorn Inks Lake this spring. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Seton Williamson Foundation for the benefit of Seton Highland lakes Hospital; 201 Seton Parkway, Round Rock, TX 78655 or to the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame; www.tsdhof.org 45 Lake Forest Circle, Conroe TX. 77384

Arrangements under the care of Edgar & Jenkins Family Funeral Home, Burnet, Texas.