Ronald Lee Roberts

Ronald Lee Roberts, 83, passed away on October 22, 2023. A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at Eden Chapel United Methodist Church at 9211 S. Fairgrounds Rd, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074 with Pastor Katy Paul officiating. Dighton Marler Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.

Ron was born on December 21, 1939, in Durant, Oklahoma to Clyde T. Roberts and Lennie (Smith) Roberts. Growing up he had a German Shepard named Bounce that was born on his birthday that his grandparents gave him. Ron grew up and went to school in Durant, Oklahoma and graduated high school in 1957. He then went to Murray State College, then Oklahoma State University graduating in 1961. He married Shirley Whelchel on December 6, 1963, at Whites Chapel Methodist Church near Keller, Texas. In the early 70’s he started weekend University for his master’s degree.

Ron was in ROTC in college, and the day following graduation he along with fellow students enlisted in the Army and went to the east coast for basic training. Ron was stationed at Fort Dix and Fort Hamilton. He was named soldier of the month and received awards. One wall in his barn was covered in awards.

Ron’s career was in public health, which began in Oklahoma City at the City County Health Department from January 1964 to the spring of 1965. In 1965 he was hired by the O.U. School of Medicine to aid in the forming of the Southwest Migrant Health project. In the fall of 1967, he and Shirley moved from Hollis, Oklahoma to Tishomingo, Oklahoma as an environmentalist with SODA. In the early 1970’s he began a long career as administrator at Johnston County Health Department. Over a period of time four more counties were added to his administration, for Marshall, Love, Carter and Murray Counties. In 1999 he retired and after a year opened Roberts Environmental Service.

Ron had a small herd of cattle on a forty-acre farm near Tishomingo. Later he grew arrow leaf clover. Shirley says, “I guess work was his hobbies”. Ron was a humble man and didn’t make a big deal of all the things he was good at. Some of Ron’s achievements include, Lions Club President in Tishomingo, Lay leader at the First United Methodist Church in Tishomingo, he was a member of the board at the Johston County Soil Conservation. He was an advisor to an Agriculture related department at Murray State College. Represented Oklahoma at National meeting for the Oklahoma Department of Health. Most of all he was a kind man and a faithful Christian. Ron had a dry sense of humor. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He was a man of great character and was well respected.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents, one brother Larry Roberts.

He is survived by his wife Shirley Roberts, his son Todd M. Roberts and wife Emily and his grandchildren Delaney, Dalton and Charlotte. He is also survived by his nephews Jason Roberts and Chad Roberts.

Honorary pallbearers will be Wayne Taylor, Phil Nowak, Blake Sylvester, Cecil Strande, Vernon Bolz, Mike O’Conner, Walter Baber, Joe Kreger, J.E. Graves, Gene Richardson, and Vernon Hurst. The men listed here are good friends, former college buddies, neighbors and people that had a special place in his life.

Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.dightonmarler.com.