A Life Well Lived

Rachel Louise (Lyberger) Roberts of Lancaster, Missouri, daughter of Charles Edson Lyberger and Mamie Ethel (Kitterman) Lyberger, was born October 22, 1917 in rural Glenwood, Missouri, and died on January 8, 2012 at age 94, a patient in Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville, Missouri.
Mrs. Roberts was married to Avery Francis Roberts on December 9, 1937, and to this union three sons were born: Tommy Francis, Stephen Randall and Mark Douglas.
Mrs. Roberts was preceded in death by her husband in 1994, her son, Mark Douglas in 1973, her parents, two brothers, Harvie Nathan Lyberger and Birney Marvin Lyberger, and her sister, Arba Pauline (Lyberger) Lovekamp.
Surviving Mrs. Roberts are her son and daughter-in-law, Tommy Francis Roberts and his wife, Paula Sue (Minter) Roberts, her son Stephen Randall Roberts, four grandchildren, Aaron Randall Roberts, Travis Lyle Roberts and his wife, Jodi Lynn (Starbuck) Roberts, Rebecca Suzann Roberts and her partner, Kevin Bartholomew Graham, and Stephanie Louise (Roberts) Robinson and her husband, Patrick David Robinson, and three great granddaughters, Tinley Lyn Roberts, Taylor Payton Roberts and Halle Nicole Roberts.
After graduating from Glenwood High School in 1935, Mrs. Roberts taught for two years in the one-room Red School north of Glenwood. After her marriage in 1937, she became a full-time homemaker. In 1943, Mrs. Roberts moved to Riverside, California to be near Mr. Roberts during his US Army basic training and hospitalization and recuperation at the military base hospital there. Following her husband's service in World War II, she joined American Legion Women's Auxiliary and Veterans of Foreign Wars Women's Auxiliary. In 1947 Mrs. Roberts and her family moved from their country home northwest of Lancaster to their home on Fourth Street in Lancaster.
In addition to American Legion and VFW activities, Mrs. Roberts was an active supporter of Schuyler County Historical Society, US 854th Spearheaders Engineer Aviation Battalion reunion committee and Glenwood High School reunion planning committee. She also was involved in her children's clubs and organizations including Lancaster United Methodist Church, Lancaster 4-H, Future Farmers of America, Boy Scouts of America and Lancaster High School Band Boosters. With a reputation as an excellent cook, Mrs. Roberts was a part time cafeteria employee at Lancaster High School from 1962 to 1965.
Throughout her adulthood Mrs. Roberts was devoted to the well being of her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Having lived for over sixty years in the same neighborhood, she was appreciative of the friendships she had made there as well as for the friendships she made in surrounding neighborhoods and communities. Reminiscing about days gone by and the wonderful people she had known was among her favorite activities during the past few years.

The Roberts family welcomes family and friends to a Celebration of Life for Mrs. Roberts at the Norman Funeral Home in Lancaster, Missouri on Friday, January 13, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. To honor Mrs. Roberts, memorials have been established for the Schuyler County Library and the Schuyler County Nutrition Site.
A private graveside service will be held at a later date at the Arni Memorial Cemetery in Lancaster, Missouri.