Roberts, Blaine -- 1922 - 2000

ROBERTS, PETERSON, SWANBERG

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 8/9/2010 at 10:17:16

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, January 23, 2001

Editor's note: The following obituary was recently received by Decorah Newspapers.

Blaine Roberts

Blaine Roberts, 78, of Sun City, Calif., died Dec. 9, 2000 after a brief illness.

He was born July 29, 1922 in Sioux City and grew up in Chicago, Illinois, joining the Marine Corps during World War II. He served in the Pacific Theater, and was involved in all four major battles, and saw combat in the battles for Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima.

He moved to southern California in 1954 where he worked mainly in sales and was a member of the Building Industry Association for several years.

Blaine Roberts lived in Paso Robles from 1975-1988, where he was in business for himself and an active member of the Elks Lodge. In 1988 he moved to San Jose where he lived until June 2000, relocating to Sun City.

He was a very civic minded person, who, when made aware of a project, would step in to lead the way and work to achieve a successful end.

Two of the organizations which benefited greatly from his ability were Building Industry Association (BIA) and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE). He served as president of BIA for two years and was a five-year member of the Paso Robles Elks Lodge Board of Trustees.

Blaine Roberts enjoyed his annual 4th Marine Division reunions, which he had attended frequently since 1966, He enjoyed seeing his old friends and talking about their war experiences. He was the "memory" for all of his old comrades. Whenever anyone got stumped recalling a name or particular incident from the past, he was always called upon.

Surviving Blaine Roberts are his wife, Sylvia Peterson Roberts; three nephews, David, Michael, and Robert Swanberg and their families; and one niece, Lauren Swanberg, all of southern California, in addition to numerous relatives in the Decorah area and in Calif.

Blaine Roberts was preceded in death by his sister, Roberta Swanberg.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.