Bernard Duane Roberts

      Surrounded by his family, Bernard Duane Roberts, died in Chester, Virginia at age 88 on August 5th, 2019. He was born August 27, 1930 in Grant, Iowa, the son of Neils Osmer and Jessie Marie (Olson) Roberts. B.D. was a youth standout on the Tiger Rifle Team and head cheerleader on the Tiger Cheer Squad at Nevada Missouri High School. It was there, in his last year of high school, when he met, then later married, his life mate Virginia Mae McGee. Upon graduation in 1948 he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in Austin Texas. He served his country in Korea and was honorably discharged.

     He wed his beloved high school sweetheart on Dec 22, 1951 at her parent’s home in Nevada Missouri. Three children from that marriage survive their father Rita Marie (Dan) Medlock of Little Rock, Arkansas, Rosan Dora Campbell of Gum Springs, Virginia and Bernard Duane Roberts Jr. (Mary Lou) of Moseley Virginia.  His six grandchildren are Marvin Earl  (Becca) Hancock, Shelly Marie (Paul) Hardin, Lindy Lee (Josh) O’Neal, Douglas Duane (Liz) Roberts, Jessie Mae Roberts and Raymond Roberts along with seven great grandchildren, Jordan Faith Hancock, Saylor Grace O’Neal, Anniston Lee O’Neal, Ella Marie Hardin, Marvin (Trace) Hancock Jr, Hyson David O’Neal and Ethan Eoghan Hardin.      

     Bernard Roberts was educated at University of Missouri school of Mechanical Engineering and obtained a Master of Business degree from the University of Arkansas. He worked for Arkansas-Missouri Power company in Blytheville, AR and City of Richmond, VA accumulating over 30 year of gas utility experience.

     He was baptized along with his three children in Blytheville’s First Baptist Church at the age of 35 and continued to serve God and his community in Arkansas, Virginia and Missouri throughout the rest of his life. He always had a garden wherever he lived and was fond of fruit trees and honeybees. He and Virginia cared for their aging mothers until they passed away at age 99 and 102 in Nevada and Butler, Missouri.

     B. D. is preceded in death by his wife, his parents and one sister Lola Case and two brothers Maurice Roberts and Gerald Roberts.

     Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, August 12, 2019 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Dr. William Cox officiating.  Interment will follow in Pryor Creek Cemetery in Metz, MO.

     Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church in Nevada in c/o Ferry Funeral Home or www.hylesbaptist.com

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