Milo Richard Martin ROBERTS

ROBERTS, HANSEN, WEDEKING, VAN DRIE, RODEMEYER, STEPHENS, COGUT, ROBERTS-COGUT, OLIVER, BRAWNER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/1/2007 at 00:44:27

August 23, 2005

Milo Richard Martin Roberts, 85, died on Wednesday, August 17, 2005, at the Belmond Health Care Center. Funeral services were held on Saturday, August 20, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond, with Pastor Rod Hopp officiating. Full military honors were rendered, and a private family interment will take place later at the Belmond Cemetery.

Milo was born on August 7, 1920 in Latimer, the son of Harry and Helena (Hansen) Roberts. He attended the St. Paul's Lutheran School and graduated from the Latimer High School. In his youth he was an avid sportsman and athlete, even trying out as a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals when he was eighteen. He later owned a Western Auto Store in Gowrie until volunteering for a three-year tour in the U.S. Coast Guard during WW II. He enlisted as an apprentice seaman in June of 1942, completing a course of instruction at the Radio Telephone Signal School while serving on the West Coast. After discharge in 1945 he operated the Belmond Ice and Coal Company. Prior to operating his Western Auto Store, Milo married Marjorie Wedeking of Nemaha. She passed away after a lengthy illness. In July 1957, he married Sophie Van Drie of Melvin. In 1956, he began driving a school bus for the Belmond Community Schools. Later he was also a custodian and became a full-time school employee. Milo drove school bus routes for nearly 25 years, logging 20-30 thousand miles per year. His retirement interests included woodworking and making craft items with Sophie, selling them at local craft shows. They enjoyed wintering in southern Texas and fishing trips to Minnesota with friends and family.

Milo was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife; brother, Ralph; sister, Loretta Rodemeyer; nephew, Dalton Rodemeyer; and grand-niece, Patti Rodemeyer. He is survived by his wife, Sophie of Belmond; sons, Raymond of Tucson, Arizona, Timothy of Shenandoah and Stuart of Omaha; daughters, Michele Stephens of Pulaski, Tennessee and Paula Roberts-Cogut of Cross River, New York; sister, Mildred Oliver; cousin, Orvetta Brawner; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

©Belmond Independent 2005