Maurice Edward Roberts' Obituary
The Reverend Doctor Maurice Edward Roberts passed away on July 5, 2011 at home.
He was born March 3, 1927 in Emporia, Kansas, to the Rev. and Mrs. Edward S. Roberts. He was a graduate of Waukesha High School, Waukesha, Wisconsin, Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, and earned his Doctorate in Ministry at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
His career as a Navy chaplain spanned twenty-two years, beginning as Sea Bee Battalion Chaplain with MCB One in Argentia, Newfoundland and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Other tours in his career included the Amphibious Squadron 12 and senior chaplain of the the USS Forrestal. He served one year in Viet Nam in the Mekong Delta. He served as chaplain at NAAS, Kingsville, Texas, NAS Argentia, Newfoundland, and as Force Chaplain, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet and at subase Pearl Harbor. His last assignment was Senior Chaplain, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD before retiring as Captain in 1977.
He served four years as Associate Pastor at the Old Stone Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He then served the Veterans Administration as hospital chaplain in Arkansas for twenty-six years. He was a member of the Presbytery of Arkansas, and served as Parish Associate of the First United Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville. He chaired a committee for the Presbytery, served as Trustee of the Fayetteville Library Board, and was a Board Member of the Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries in Bossier City, LA.
His hobby was travel. His family has been to Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and most notably Wales, where his father was born. He also took his wife on a tour of the Far East and to Israel, to study the life of Jesus. While Senior Chaplain aboard the USS Forrestal during its Mediterranean cruise, he had the thrill of preaching on the beach at Neapolis (now Kavala), Greece, where the apostle Paul once preached.
He is survived by his wife Ann of the home, son Edward Stephen (Susan) Roberts II of Marshall, Wisconsin, daughter Bronwyn (Dano) Fillion of Washington, D.C., and daughter Gwyneth (Mark) Baker of Castle Rock, Colorado, three grandchildren, two nieces and their families.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Lovinabel.
Visitation will be Thursday evening from 4-6 pm at the Nelson-Berna Funeral Home. The memorial service will be held on Friday, July 8 at 2 pm at First United Presbyterian Church, Fayetteville. Memorials may be made to First United Presbyterian Church or the Fayetteville Public Library.
Thanks to the staffs of Walnut Grove Nursing & Rehabilitation, Veterans Home, the VA Hospital, and Circle of Life Hospice.
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