Obituary of Barbara McRoberts

Barbara Lou Churchill McRoberts Passed away peacefully on September 30, 2010 surrounded by those who love her and holding her husband’s hand. Born on June 2, 1917 in Ames, Iowa to Edna and Gerald Churchill and descendent of those that arrived in America on the Mayflower. Barbara read 1,000 books by the time she was in the eighth grade and graduated from Iowa State University in 1939 with a BS in bacteriology. She then trained as a laboratory technician at Northwest Hospital in Minneapolis, MN during the start of WWII while she waited for her fiancé. Barbara had met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Carl McRoberts, at Iowa State and their 70th wedding anniversary will be celebrated in April 2011. In 1941, facing a low draft number, Dick volunteered into the U.S. Army Air Corps and left for nine months of training shortly after their daughter, Carol, was born in 1942. This was a very difficult time for Barbara, as her mother died two months after their wedding. Luckily Barbara and baby Carol were together with Dick at Patterson Field, OH. Barbara was involved in the PTA for 27 years. In 1963, when the Rockford, IL public school district discontinued kindergarten classes, Barbara organized 30 moms, hired a teacher, rented a class room and started a kindergarten class for their children and her youngest daughter, Cindy. Barbara and Dick enjoyed their long life together with their family, friends and church, and spent their retirement years traveling and swimming. She excelled in playing bridge and was a much-sought-after bridge partner and fabulous apple pie maker. Barbara taught her family about what’s really important; that there is great joy to be found in family, children, learning, books, cats, art, music, travel and baseball. She also believed it is important to pay attention to what’s going on in the world and to be involved in the political process. She loved being a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother and is survived by her husband, Dick; children Carol, Jerry and Cindy McRoberts; daughter-in-law and son-in-law Louise McRoberts and Edward Walker; grandchildren Diane and Michelle Thompson, Brian and Michael McRoberts; their spouses Tim Radonich, Jennifer and Lisa McRoberts; and great-grandchildren Michael Lucci and Donovan Thompson; Joshua, Matthew, Mason, and Caroline McRoberts; and great-grandchild number seven in March 2011. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 26, 2010 at 2:00pm at South Sound Manor. If you wish to send a gift in her memory, please do so to the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle (www.ugm.org) or Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa (www.foundation.iastate.edu). We’ll miss you mom. With much love and gratitude, your family. Please leave memories and condolences for family online by clicking "View Guestbook" below.