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Eugene Roberts, Age 87 of Muskogee, Oklahoma passed away on Thursday, March 20, 2014 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 87. He was born September 20, 1926 in Sallisaw, Oklahoma to James Wesley and Josie Lilly (Reeder) Roberts.
After graduating from high school, Gene joined the United States Army. He was stationed with the U.S. Army throughout the Philippines and Japan during World War II and was one of the soldiers who marched through the devastation at Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was dropped.
After he was honorably discharged from the Army, Gene graduated from business college in Kansas City. He married the love of his life, Billie Ruth (Johnson) on October 17, 1957 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gene lived in the Muskogee area since 1968 and he retired as the Purchasing Manager at Coburn Optical in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was a Freewill Baptist by faith, and a life member of the American Legion Post #15 in Muskogee. He served on the Board of Education for the Okay Public School System for a number of years. His pastimes included being an avid golfer and OU fan and he had not missed a single broadcast of an OU Football game since the 1950s. He liked fishing but he most enjoyed being on the fairway playing golf with his friends.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Leroy, Carl and Troy Roberts and one sister, Muriel Louise Cookson.
He is survived by his loving wife Billie. One son Tom Roberts and his wife Deanna of Muskogee. Two daughters, Carlyn Roberts of Muskogee, Lorrie Paden and husband Art of Muskogee and one brother Jimmy Roberts of Glenpool, Oklahoma. Seven grandchildren, Sarah Eller and husband Austin, Cade Roberts, Daniel Bunch and wife Megan, Brett Bunch, Filisha Van Brunt and fiancée Joe Church, Meagan Van Brunt and Artie Paden and five great grandchildren. Numerous other relatives and a host of friends.
Public Viewing and visitation at the funeral home will be from 3 PM to 6 PM Saturday, March 22, 10 AM to 7 PM Monday, March 24 and 10 AM to Noon Tuesday March 25.
Graveside funeral services with military honors will be held at 2 PM on Tuesday March 25th, 2014 at the United States National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandsons.
Funeral service arrangements are under the direction of Shipman’s Muskogee Cremation & Funeral Service 1325 N. York Street in Muskogee.
Billie Ruth Johnson Roberts was born November 19, 1937 in Stilwell, Oklahoma
to Cecil Johnson and Kittie Mae White Johnson. Growing up, Billie attended Grace
Chapel, which was a two-mile trek by foot from her home in the Horn Community.
At age 16, she tragically lost her father, at which time Kittie resumed her job
with the railroad. During this time, they lived in a rail car and traveled where
the railway took them, until they settled in Mena, Arkansas.
Billie graduated
from high school in Mena, Arkansas in 1956, and was fondly known, along with her
sister Sue, as the jitterbug queens of Mena High School. After graduation she
moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas where she completed her cosmetology training at
Mellie's Beauty College.
On October 17, 1957 Billie married the love of her life Eugene Roberts in Tulsa, where they began their lifelong commitment to one another and a marriage that spanned 57 years until Gene's passing in 2014. Born to this union were their son, Tom and daughters Carlyn, and Lorrie. Billie worked as a beautician until 1970 when she made the decision to be a fulltime homemaker for her family.
Billie enjoyed a love of fishing, a hobby she excitedly shared with her mother and her sister Sue. Feisty-natured, Billie loved life and possessed an inspiring will to live, a quality that sustained her through a 20-year battle with dementia Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease. Her journey became complete September 28, 2020 when she departed this world bound for her Heavenly home.
She was pre-deceased by her parents, her sisters Bobbie, Ethyl, Cotton, her loving husband, and her daughters. She is survived by her son Tom and his wife Deanna, son in law, Art Paden; grandchildren Sarah Eller and husband Austin, Cade Roberts and wife Moufida, Brett Bunch, Daniel Bunch and wife Megan, Filisha Church, Meagan Coates and husband Eric, Artie Paden and wife Taylor, brother Cecil Johnson, Jr and wife Sue, sister Sue Fontenot and husband Lucky and nine great grandchildren.
Public viewing will be Wednesday, September 30, 2020 from 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Muskogee Shipman Cremation & Funeral Service.
Graveside service will be held Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 2:00 P.M. at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery with Pastor Jeff Ward officiating and serving as pallbearers will be Cade Roberts, Brett Bunch, Daniel Bunch, Artie Paden, Austin Eller, and Chris Johnson. Arrangements have been entrusted to Muskogee Shipman Cremation & Funeral Service.
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