Grace E. Roberts

Grace E. Roberts, 97, of Fairfield, died at 6:05 PM, Sunday, April 16, 2006 at Jefferson County Hospital Living Care Unit in Fairfield.

Services were conducted at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, April 19, 2006 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield. Burial will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Education Foundation of Fairfield Public Schools or to the donor's choice.

Grace E. Roberts was born March 9, 1909 in Pleasant Grove, Iowa, the daughter of Harry and Penelope Rabal. She married Charles Jesse (Jack) Roberts on September 27, 1936 in Lancaster, MO. Jack passed away September 30, 1971.

Mrs. Roberts graduated from Fairfield High School in 1927 and St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1930. She worked at St. Joseph Hospital in the early '30's. Then in the 1940's, she and her husband operated bus depots in Ottumwa Iowa City and the Fairfield Motel. from 1948 to 1952, they owned/operated the Lakeview Motel, restaurant and gas station in Yukon, OK. They came back in 1952 to help care for Grace's parents. She was a nurse at the Van Buren County Hospital from 1955 to 1971 until her retirement.

Mrs. Roberts was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, UMW Deborah Circle, Fairfield Rebekah Lodge #96 and the Jefferson County Hospital Auxiliary. She volunteered at the Bargain Box for many years and enjoyed reading, needlepoint, crocheting and quilting.

Survivors include two sisters: Wilma Lawson of Fairfield and Gertrude Dice of Palo, IA; several nieces and nephews, step-grandchildren and step-greatgrandchildren.

Mrs. Roberts was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters: Lucille Hudgel and Pauline Turpin and two step-daughters: Lucille Gregor and Alice Mae Steward.