William “Bill” Lee Roberts, 88, born July 10, 1925 in Judson Township, MN, was released into the Light on October 28, 2013 in Tucson, AZ. He was joined in the Light by his wife of 65 years, his soul mate, Ann on May 14, 2016.
He is survived by daughters, Rebecca (Martin Cielens) Llewellyn, Suzanne and husband; sons, David (Janie) Roberts, Ned (Judi) Roberts, James (Jill Fanning) Roberts; niece, Kathleen (Jim) Knight; 10 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Bill was a social worker and educator who dedicated his life to helping others. He was extraordinarily loving and devoted to his wife. He enjoyed music and loved singing while Ann accompanied him on piano. He was a gentle and warmhearted soul, beloved by many.
A Celebration of his Life was held Saturday, November 23, 2013, 4:00 p.m., at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church.
Thanks for visiting this site, a tribute to Bill Roberts. Bill’s family welcomes comments from people who have stories about Bill to share. If you think your story is too long for this format, please feel free to mail it to stories@billrobertsstory.com.
I love his story about the power of listening – one day he was visited by two salt-of-the-earth parents of a young man who had been institutionalized with mental problems. They were very distressed. He greeted them and ushered them into his office, whereupon they began to talk and he responded with “uh huh” or “mmm”. At the end of the hour, they rose from their chairs and thanked him profusely, saying, “Oh, thank you Mr. Roberts, no-one has ever been this helpful; now we know what to do.” He hadn’t said a word after, “have a seat.”
I remember Uncle Bill as a very kind man. When they lived in Mankato it was always fun to visit with the family and hang out with Sue. They always made me feel welcome in their house. If I remember correctly, he and Aunt Ann came to see me and visitied with me when I had my back surgery and was laid up in bed for four months. I thought that was pretty cool.
Until the day they died, his mother, sisters, brother and a few others always called him “Lee.”
Back in the 40’s when I was a freshman in the high school band there was a good-looking senior boy who played the bass drum. With a burst of courage I spoke to him and called him “Lee”. His response was quick and vehement and said that his name was “Bill.”
I never called him “Lee” again.
I remember Taid telling us about a pair of sisters he used to know: Ima and Youra. Their last name? Hog.
And the famous Taid trick or treat story – taking apart and reassembling a tractor on the roof of a farmer that was less than forthcoming with his candy.
The best part of his storytelling was the delivery: maintaining a Bill Cosby-esque poker face. Only when you furrowed your brow or start giggling did he burst into laughter himself.