Obituary of Bobby Spencer Roberts
Funeral services for Bobby Spencer Roberts, age 70, of Roanoke, will be held on Tuesday, October 31, 2017, at 12:00 PM from Rock Springs Baptist Church with Rev. Jimmy Sprayberry officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Quattlebaum Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
The family will receive friends at church from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM on Tuesday.
Mr. Roberts passed away on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at his home.
Survivors include his wife, Sara Ellen Roberts of Roanoke; four daughters, Lesley Anne Richards (husband, John) of Mobile, AL, Courtney Leigh Diepenbrock (husband, Kevin) of LaPlace, LA, Heather Leigh Starley of Newnan, GA, and Casey Danielle Gay of Wadley, AL; one son, Christopher Elliott Roberts (wife, Candace) of Carrollton, GA; thirteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Dottie Roberts Bagley of Buford, GA and Kathy Roberts Freeman of Baldwin, GA.
Pallbearers will be Chris Roberts, Spencer Roberts, Peter Arbaczauskas, Dylan Orr, Brad Shaver, and Garrett Predue.
The Rock Springs Baptist Church Men’s Sunday School will serve as honorary pallbearers.
A Gwinnett County, GA native, Mr. Roberts was born on June 18, 1947, the son of Spence and Bessie Murphy Roberts. He graduated from North Gwinnett High School in 1965. After graduating, he served in the Armed Forces in Vietnam as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He then returned to Southern Union State Community College to start working on his associate’s degree and to play basketball. Mr. Roberts finished his undergraduate degree and earned his graduate degree at Auburn University. After that, he completed post-graduate work in the field of rehabilitation at the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University. Mr. Roberts taught at Auburn University for five years, Louisiana State University’s Medical School for six years, and was in private practice for 32 years. He was a member of Rock Springs Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday School teacher, Discipleship Training leader, Children’s Church volunteer, a member of the choir, as well as other committees. He was a lifetime member of The Gideon’s International. In addition, he was a member of the National Rehab Association and was inducted into the North Gwinnett Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
Bobby Spencer Roberts had many names – Bob, Husband, Dad, Granddaddy, Daddy Bob, Brother Bob, Pop. But to all who met him, he was best known as a friend. He listened to people, and he saw their potential. He would give a stranger the shirt off his back because that is what Jesus would do. If you could say one definitive thing about Bob Roberts, it would be that “Bob loved people.” How blessed we all are that he did. For those of us left behind, we celebrate his incredible legacy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Ryan Spencer Roberts; and one sister, Gail Roberts Wood.
Memorials may be floral or the family requests contributions to The Gideon’s International, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251.