Roberta H. Elliott, who took life on no terms other than her own, died on Monday, January 18, 2016. She was 88.
Born and raised in Waterbury, Connecticut, Roberta was doted on by a lively cast of grandparents and aunts and uncles. Until the end, she cherished every detail of her upbringing by her parents, James and Esther Yavecchia, with her sister Jacqueline. She was especially close with her grandmother Louise, whose pie crusts Roberta could never replicate.
Though she would have preferred to stay home hanging out with Louise, Roberta went to UConn at age 17. Hounded by the PE requirement, she became a champion archer. Upon earning her BSN in 1948, she started working as a public health nurse. Her favorite part was recording the vitals of home births, but when the largely Italian population invited her to celebrate the new babies with a glass of homemade wine, she asked for ginger ale instead.
She married Lloyd Elliott, who adored her, and raised two children, David James and Christine Esther, in Stamford, Connecticut. Dave and Chris were the uncontested joys of her life. She drank the water the vegetables were boiled in, and Saturdays she took the clothes off your back to fill a load of laundry. Decades later, she still missed their dog, Duke Rudolph von Hapsburg III (Happy the Bog).
She earned a Master’s in Education while working as a school nurse. She taught second and fourth grade for almost 30 years. Her classroom holiday parties were the envy of the school, and her retirement party program recalled her habit of changing into slippers after lunch. Just a few weeks ago, she still wondered how things turned out for the boy who had two shirts and was thrilled to get a third for Christmas.
Roberta fell in love with Provincetown spending summers with Dave and Chris at Dunes’ Edge Campground, picking berries and swimming at Race Point. During the 70s, she socialized a lot and went dancing at the A-House every week. After retiring in 1984, she moved here fulltime and traveled as much as possible, especially with Dave to Puerto Vallarta. Despite their divorce, she provided Lloyd with 24/7 care at the end of his life (1991 – 1993). She worked in the Bay Lady II ticket booth in the 90s. In recent years, she looked forward to Bubbles’ fish fry at the Bradford and enjoyed the beach from the car at Herring Cove.
She was a joyful and generous grandmother to Chris’s kids, Liz, John, Sam, and Kate. Birthday phone calls came at the exact time of day they were born, and she made the trip to Maryland for every Christmas concert, dance recital, and graduation. She took them to Europe to show them how big the world is. During the many summers they spent with her in P-town, she loved when they joined her in walking into town for a Coke at the Old Colony and a small pizza at George’s (the crust on the small is better).
To all, Roberta imparted these values: family first, travel often, and money is only worth the freedom it buys to do as one pleases.
In all: Roberta was predeceased by her parents, James and Esther Yavecchia; her sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Royce Boyd; and Roberta’s heart never un-broke after the death of her daughter, Chris. She is survived by her loving and beloved son and daughter-in-law, Dave and Barbara Elliott (Newport Beach, CA); her devoted son-in-law, Mick Mullan (Baltimore, MD); her adoring grandchildren, Kate, Liz, John, and Sam Mullan, and Kate’s wife, Kathryn Singer; her thoughtful nieces, Marilyn Foster and Alison and Jennifer Boyd; and their children, Sarah, Alison, and Christopher.
Roberta’s interest and concerned extended to many in town. To everyone who assisted her as she got on, including Mercedes Cab, the COA, the fine staff of Seashore Point, Beacon Hospice, and many friends: thank you. You helped her maintain her treasured independence.
A Graveside Service is planned for 1:00 pm, Saturday May 14th in Provincetown Cemetery.
Donations in Roberta’s memory may be made to the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown (ptownsoup.org) or HopeWell Cancer Support (hopewellcancersupport.org) and will be very much appreciated.