….retired Tools and Die Maker; 94
TEWKSBURY - John Mattew Roberts, age 94, a resident of Tewksbury since 2008, died peacefully in the care of his family and hospice at the Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill, Saturday afternoon, June 24. He was the beloved husband of Lillian (Gesser) Roberts, with whom he had celebrated a sixty-seventh wedding anniversary this past Saturday, on June 17th.
John was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in May 1923, a son of Oscar and Nora (Backhaus) Roberts, and raised on the family Farm. He enlisted into the U.S. Navy, and served honorably during WWII and the Korean War.
He and wife Lillian, settled in Golden Colorado, where they lived from 1956 until coming east in 2008. In Golden, John served as an Usher at St. Joseph’s Church, and also served as church handi-man for over 51 years. Since moving to Tewksbury John was a member of St. William’s Parish community. John was a Tool and Die Maker for Coors Porcelain Company in Golden, until retirement.
In his earlier years, he was a “Fast pitch” semi-professional softball player, and throughout his life was an avid and “lucky” fisherman. He also enjoyed watching professional sports, especially football and baseball.
Besides his beloved wife, he leaves two daughters, Jean Roberts and her husband Kenneth Tamarkin of Andover, Mary Routhe and her husband Lawrence of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; a son-in-law, Peter Mitchell of Wellesley, who was husband of his late daughter, Kathleen Roberts; six grandchildren, Tanya Greenblatt and her husband Scott of FL, Noah Tamarkin and his wife Juno of OH, Emily Tamarkin of FL, John Routhe and his wife Melissa of N.C., Katy Matthews and her husband Ryan of N.C., Gina Mitchell of Wellesley; seven great grand-children, Michael, Joshua, Theodore, John Jr., Ethan, Kennedy, and Hunter; a brother, Kenneth Roberts and his wife Judy of Wisconsin; many nieces and nephews; and was predeceased by his sisters, Dorothy Dorochek, Mary Louise Roberts, and Lucille Roberts.
Visiting hours Wednesday, June 28, from 5:00 until 7:00 in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. His funeral will begin Thursday, June 29, at 9:00 a.m. from the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. in St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St. (Rte. 38) Tewksbury. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Wellesley. In lieu of flowers, memorials to: Donations - Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 or Mass Offerings at St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St. Tewksbury, MA 01876 will be appreciated. tewksburyfuneralhome.com