ROBERTS, E.K. "Al" 1912-2009

ROBERTS, MUECKE, EVANS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/22/2009 at 13:32:35

MASON CITY, IOWA - E.K. "Al" Roberts, 96, of Mason City, and formerly of Charles City, Iowa, passed away Monday, July 20, 2009, in Mason City.
Memorial services for Al Roberts will be held Friday at the First Congregational Church in Charles City. Pastor Phil Corr will officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date.

The family will greet friends Friday at the church from 10 a.m. until service time.

Mr. Roberts was born on Oct. 17, 1912, in Spokane, Washington, to The Rev. Dr. D. Kendrick and Emma Evans Roberts. He graduated from high school in Racine, Wisconsin, and in 1935 received a B.A. degree in economics from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

On December 27, 1941, he was united in marriage to Irene Muecke in Sioux Falls, S.D. He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. Mr. Roberts was employed by J.I. Case Company for 15 years as a sales representative in Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, S.D. and Northeast Iowa.

In 1953 he and his family moved to Charles City, Iowa where he purchased a Ben Franklin store. In 1958, he and Irene bought an existing ladies specialty shop, which became Roberts Clothes of Charm operating five locations including Charles City, Mason City, Austin, Minn., Rochester, Minn. and Sioux Falls, S.D.

He enjoyed his relationship with First Citizens National Bank Mason City, serving as a bank director for many years. He was on the board of the Charles City Cedar Valley Hospital and served as president of the Charles City Chamber of Commerce in 1959. He was a member of the United States Chamber of Commerce from 1960-1965, serving on the distribution and retail committee.

Al was a advocate for Charles City. After the tornado demolished the downtown in 1968, he was the third merchant to sign a lease in the mall. When the Chevrolet dealership closed, he was instrumental in purchasing it and reopening it. He was a co-owner of The Framing Connection. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and a lifelong member of the Elks Lodge and a member of the First Congregational Church in Charles City where he served on the Board of Trustees and taught Sunday school.

He loved a beautiful yard, azaleas and buying cars and bragged about his great-granddaughters.
Grateful for having shared his life is his wife Irene; daughter, Susan Stilwell of Sioux Falls, S.D., and son David K. (Janet) Roberts of Mason City; five grandchildren, Peter (Erika) Stilwell, Dallas, Texas, Amy (Jade) Benson, Kansas City, Mo., Elizabeth (Christopher) Seab, Billings, Mont., Annette (Don) Dawson, Indianola, and David Roberts, New York, N.Y. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren, Piper and Sloane Stilwell, Sara and Megan Benson and Don and Annie Dawson; his sister Evalyn Vandervelde of Seattle, Wash. and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Roberts, San Marino, Calif. and Edie Muecke, of Sioux Falls, S.D. and many nieces and nephews also survive him.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, the Rev. Dr. Edwin Roberts.
Memorials my be directed to the First Congregational Church in Charles City, the Salvation Army in Mason City or the Food Bank in Charles City or Mason City.

Hauser Funeral Home, 641-228-2323, www.hauserfh.com.

Published in the Globe Gazette on 7/22/2009