Herbert Haskel Roberts

Herbert Haskel (Herb) Roberts, 88, of Jonesboro, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth’s Place in Jonesboro.

Born in Ash Flat, Mr. Roberts lived in Caraway before moving to the Jonesboro area in 1958. He was a retired electrician with 55 years of membership in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. For 15 years Mr. Roberts served as the Electrical Inspector for the City of Jonesboro.

Mr. Roberts was a U.S. Army veteran of W.W. II, serving in the Battle of the Bulge and being awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action on 30 March 1945 near Mehlin, Germany. Sgt. Roberts also received the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement against the enemy on 23 and 24 August 1944 near Tilly, France. He enlisted in the Army 29 July 1941 and served 4 years, 3 months, 7 days.

Mr. Roberts was of the Baptist belief and his priority was God, family and country. He was proud to be an American and proud of making a better life for his children and grandchildren. He grew up in rural Arkansas during the Great Depression and once observed that although he had been in 48 states and 5 foreign countries, he had yet seen a better place to live than Arkansas. He was proud of all of his family’s accomplishments and treated all family members equally, making no distinctions.

He was preceded in death by 1 daughter: Vickie Roberts; his parents: Dee and Laura Roberts; 4 brothers: Glen Roberts, J.W. Roberts, Oscar Roberts, and Ernest Roberts; and 2 sisters: Marie Guiltner and Irene Bristow.

Survivors include: His wife of 65 years: Anna Pearl Moore Roberts of the home;

3 sons and daughters-in-law: Dickie and Brenda Roberts, and Ronnie and Joan Roberts, all of Jonesboro, and Jerry and Trisha Roberts of McKinney, Texas;

3 daughters and sons-in-law: Barbara and Lester Mullen of Monette, Diann and Randell Pierce, and June Roberts, all of Jonesboro;

11 grandchildren: Kent Roberts, Sherri Roberts, Ronda Ruthven, Tara Walker, Kevin Mullen, Jeremy Roberts, Randi Saulsbury, Brooke Pierce, Keith Mullen, Erin Botello and Laura Pierce; and

13 great grandchildren: Bradley Roberts, Jason Roberts, Ashleigh Ruthven, Mitchell Ruthven, Bailey Botello, Jaden Roberts, Sydney Saulsbury, Drew Walker, Jillian Roberts, Carter Saulsbury, John Cody Walker, Maddox Mullen and Jorin Roberts.

Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:30 at Emerson Memorial Chapel with Rev. Don Miller officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Jonesboro Memorial Park.

Active pallbearers include: grandsons and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers include: granddaughters, nieces, Vickie Mynatt, nurses Joyce Files, Billie Pruitt, Melba Thomas and Lonnie Roberts.

Visitation will be held Friday evening, 5-8, at Emerson Funeral Home.

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 800 Marshall St., Little Rock, AR 72202.

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