Joe Roberts

Obituary



Proud US Army WWII Veteran, Joe Beverly Roberts, age 91 passed peacefully at 4:22 a.m. on September 26, 2015 with family at his side at Hospice Legacy House in Ocala, Florida.  He was born on March 30, 1924 in Johnson City, Illinois.  Over the years he loved spending winters in central Florida where his daughters reside.  He is survived by his daughters, Deborah Nolte of Dunnellon, Florida, Beverly Jo Armstrong of Tampa, Florida and his grandson Ian Dirk Armstrong of Coppell, Texas.  He is much loved and will be greatly missed.


Eulogy


It is my privilege to have the opportunity to share memories of my father’s life and accomplishments.  I know everyone reading this, his family and many friends, will have their own personal memories of him. I would like to share some of his life experiences that I believe helped shape him into the person he was. He grew up during the Great Depression and the devastating effects had a great influence on everyone who experienced this tragic period in our history.  As a kid he worked in his father’s Scrap Yard and, because he liked this work so well, as an adult he began his own business.  He was always very independent and tenacious; qualities that served him well in his many years being self employed.  He was a successful small business owner and he loved it.  He was a great planner who was always thinking ahead and organizing his life and finances, a characteristic that also served him well in his business and personal life.  Some of his former business associates remain his oldest and dearest friends. At the age of 19 he entered the army’s 129th AAA Gun Battalion and his occupational specialty was Telephone Switch Board Operator.  His military battles and campaigns included the Ardennes Campaign, Central Europe Campaign, Rhineland Campaign, Northern France Campaign and Normandy Campaign.  His Decorations and Citations include 6 Bronze Service Stars, Good Conduct Medal, EAME Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal and the American Theatre Ribbon. He was very politically minded and kept up on current events.  At times he was introspective, but at others very sociable. He is survived by two loving daughters.  Although our mother and father were divorced when she passed away, he always loved and cared for her until the end of her life.  My father lived a long life.  He lived the way he wished and remained very independent to the end.  His personality was a mixture of being very private about many things and being very sociable and never meeting a stranger.  He was always joking around and did more giving than taking in his life. I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to present some of my thoughts and memories of my father, his life and impact on others.  I will always love and remember him.  I will miss him being a part of my life, but I know that he is content to now be with his Holy Father.