Brother Godfrey Robertson, FMS
John Stewart Robertson was born in Savannah on April 4, 1919. He graduated from Benedictine Military School for
Boys and then worked for three years before entering St Anne’s Hermitage in Poughkeepsie. He once told me how
he spent a part of that three-year stint as a lifeguard at a YMCA or CYO pool in Savannah. This early training in
water safety he would put to good use in a future summertime ministry at the Camp Marist waterfront. Finally, on
July 26, 1941, he received the Marist Habit and was given the name “Brother Godfrey”.
Bro. Godfrey attended Marian Normal School in Poughkeepsie for two years, taught in Boys Catholic High School
in August, GA, for one year and then Mount St Michael Academy for 3 years. It was during this time at the Mount
that he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in education from Fordham University. He then taught at St, Ann’s
Academy for one year before being assigned, in 1949, to Central Catholic High School, Lawrence MA, for 17 years.
It was during this time, in 1955 to be exact, that he completed a Master’s Degree at Staley College of the Spoken
Word. This college closed its doors in 1957 but, in its day, had attracted graduates of Harvard and other elite
institutions. In fact, one of Jack’s fellow students was a young man by the name of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, future
U.S. President.
Brother Godfrey was still called Jack by family and friends; “Big Jack” by many Marist Brothers. An imposing
figure at Central Catholic, 6’7” with a deep baritone voice, Jack did not have to worry much about classroom
discipline. He stayed at Central 17 years (1949– 1966) and was responsible for the hugely popular grammar school
basketball league. Started as a public relations venture to make Central Catholic known in the City, this league grew
to 50 teams, virtually all the public and Catholic grammar schools in the Lawrence area. If you were a Brother at
Central in the 1950’s and 1960’s you knew where you would be most Saturdays till 2 PM or later. You were a
referee or did other work to run the basketball league. Bro. Rene Roy at Central Catholic reports that, to this day,
alumni still come to express their love for Brother Godfrey. He took public relations in this Marist school to new
levels. And by the way, he could also be heard, with Tom Clayton, on radio station WLLH announcing high school
basketball games.
Meanwhile, his summers were spent at Camp Marist in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire, where he held the position
of Waterfront Director for some 13 years. He was a prominent fixture during those summer months with his pith
helmet and signature sandals perched high up on the lifeguard seat or patrolling the waterfront with his megaphone.
Yesterday I interviewed a gentleman who, as a junior in St. Helena’s High School, worked as a kitchen helper at
Camp Marist in the early 1960’s. “What do you remember most about Bro Godfrey?” I asked. “His gentleness, his
fairness, his generosity,” the man answered. It seems Bro Godfrey, a licensed instructor, offered a free water safety
course to the kitchen helpers enabling them to become certified lifeguards. Big Jack got respect. He had no need to
shout. When he spoke, the kids knew he meant what he said. “In other words,” the man told me, “Bro. Godfrey was
admired by all.” His great contribution to the development of the waterfront has been recognized by the Camp
administration. The Camp Marist waterfront is now known as “Godfrey Beach”.
It’s one thing to know what a man did, both inside and outside the classroom. It’s something else to know him as a
person. These two events, the basketball league and the camp waterfront, help us see, albeit vaguely, the real person.
Big Jack was well read and quite knowledgeable especially about the theatre. He and his buddy, Bro. Jim Gaffney
regularly went to see plays on Broadway, off-Broadway and off, off-Broadway. The story was told of how they sat
down one Saturday to see a play in some little, unknown, off, off-Broadway theatre. They looked around and found
the two of them were alone in the place. They got up to leave, but the manager told them to sit down for the show
will go on…just for them. Not only theatre, but other areas of NYC culture, too. For example, Jack once told me
how, on marathon Sundays in November, he would go to Central Park and sit on the stone wall to watch the runners
cross the finish line. Jack was not a runner, but he did love to walk. His family, niece Therese, nephew Jack and
youngest brother Jim all here tonight, saw this when Jack was visiting them in Savannah. Also, the two priests here
present, Frs. Frank and John, both from Spellman High School could tell us how Big Jack, in the nine years he
taught there, would frequently walk back and forth to Spellman from the Mount.
As Jack approached his twilight years, his health failed and he was given only a month or two to live. Since nothing
could be done for him medically, it was recommended he enter Calvary Hospital as a hospice patient, be given
palliative care, kept comfortable as death approached. After a couple of months; however, the doctors noticed Jack
was no longer a candidate for hospice. He was no longer dying and thus became one of the few patients of Calvary
Hospital to be discharged back home. Coming face to face with death at Calvary Hospital proved to be a deep
spiritual experience for Bro Godfrey. He visibly mellowed, relaxed and smiled more frequently. Months later, back
at St. Patrick’s Home, Jack sank into a coma. This time it was clear he was about to make the transition from this
life to the next. While the Rosary was being recited, they came to the first joyful mystery, the Annunciation. As the
leader said the words “and Mary said behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word”, it
was right at that moment that Jack sighed and passed to the arms of Our Lord.
- Br. James Adams, F.M.S.
Born to Life
April 3, 1919
Born to Eternal Life
February 11, 2012
Brother Godfrey Robertson, FMS
April 3, 1919
1940-42
1941
1942
1942-44
1944-45
1947
1945-48
1949
1948-49
1955
1949-66
Born in Savannah, A to Sybilla (Hansen) and John Robertson
St. Ann’s Novitiate, Poughkeepsie, NY
Reception of the Marist Habit
Profession of First Vows
Marian College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Boys Catholic HS, Augusta, GA (Teacher)
Profession of Perpetual Vows, Esopus, NY
Mt. Saint Michael Academy, Bronx, NY (Teacher)
Fordham University, New York, NY (BS Education)
St. Ann’s Academy, New York, NY (Teacher)
Staley College, Brookline, MA (MAO)
Central Catholic HS, Lawrence, MA (Teacher)
1966
Second Novitiate, Fribourg, Switzerland
1966-70
Marist HS, Chicago, IL (Teacher)
1970-72
Central Catholic HS, Lawrence, MA (Asst. Principal)
1972-79
St. Mary’s HS, Manhasset, NY (Teacher)
1979-81
Mt. Saint Michael Academy, Bronx, NY (Teacher)
1981-90
Cardinal Spellman HS, New York, NY (Teacher)
1990
Champagnat Hall, Bronx, NY (Retired)
February 11, 2012 – Died at St. Patrick’s Home, Bronx, NY