Tim Roberts

WILLARD “TIM” ROBERTS, 67, of Arcola, IL passed away at 2:30 A.M. Monday, May 24, 2010 at Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana, IL.

A memorial service with military rites conducted by the Arcola VFW Post 7862 was held at 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, May 27, 2010 at the Edwards Funeral Home. Rev. James Walker officiated. Visitation was held one hour prior to service.

Tim was born on September 10, 1942 in Canton, IL. He was the son of Willard and Bernadine (Kuhns) Roberts. He married Wilma Jones on July 18, 1987 in San Bernardino, CA.

He is survived by his wife Wilma Roberts of Arcola, IL; five children, Mark Roberts and his wife Jessica of Athens, TX, Sandy Ledbetter of Arcola, IL, Christina Oyler and her husband Steven of Chesterville, IL, Brian Ritchie of Tuscola, IL and Michelle Fredrick of Effingham, IL; twelve grandchildren, Nicole, Danielle, Alexandria, Joshua, Ashley, Sundai, Cierra, Kera, Katelyn, Jordon, Tucker and Addison; two great-grandchildren, Chase and Jaydin; a sister Cossett Abbott of Tuscon, AZ; father and mother-in-law, John and Dorothy Jones of Arcola, IL and two sister-in-laws, Chris Whipple of Arcola, IL and Carol Blakley of Nuevo, CA.

To know Tim was an experience few would forget. His ever present sense-of-humor and joy of life was freely shared with all he encountered. His love of family and friends carried over to so many as evidenced by the number of young people in the Arcola area who knew him simply as “poppa”. He had a soft spot in his heart for the children, elderly, and animals. Tim also took great pride in his six year military service as a Marine during the Vietnam War Era and his membership with the Arcola VFW post 7862. Although Tim was recently retired after five decades of driving, his greatest love and deepest compassion would forever belong to the road and his truck and the thrill of driving. Tim will be greatly missed by many because he touched so many lives, but he will be missed the most by those who had the honor and privilege of knowing him and loving him, we will miss you. His memory will live on forever in the many lives he has touched.

Tim was a Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War Era. He was a member of the Arcola VFW post 7862.

He was a retired truck driver having driven over the road trucks for five decades.