Evelyn Marie Roberts

Her father Herbert was born in 1884 and died of TB at the age of 54 while in Denver Colorado. Evelyn remembered her dad with twinkling eyes and described him as a man similar to Atticus in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, in look and style. Evelyn was “daddy’s girl” and she admired him greatly.

Evelyn’s Mother, Cora, later married George Jones. Many of us remember Grandpa Jones entertaining us with false teeth tricks.

Evelyn had two older sisters, Dorothy Grace and Meryl Ruth. Evelyn was born when Dorothy was ten years old. During the depression, in Dorothy’s teens, Dorothy earned her own food and board while living with another family, and caring for their children. During that time, she meet Albert Wilson and they were married. Dorothy and Al were Evelyn’s “guardian angels” and consistently helped Evelyn through the ups and downs of Evelyn’s life.

Meryl was two years older than Evelyn; their relationship was more of a sibling rivalry, although they loved each other. Meryl had many stories about Evelyn as the youngest daughter getting her own way through overt “cuteness’ and creativity.

Her youth was spent during the depression and Evelyn learnt to be thrifty, the value of items, and to depend and thrive in a family network. As an adolescence, she earnt money going door to door to sell eggs while living on the chicken farm. She use to say they were the lucky ones, because they always had food to eat. The family’s interdependence, the core strength of her family and her thriftiness continued to be a running theme throughout her life.

In 1942, In Garden City Kansas, Evelyn married Robert Boyd Williamson and they had three children. Eddie Boyd was born in San Francisco, Robert Charles born in New Jersey on the naval base and Sherron Marie born in Denver Colorado. R.B. was in the Navy during World War II and travelled a majority of the time. It was hard living and supporting three children’s emotional and financial needs. After nine years of marriage, they were divorced in 1951.

In 1954, Evelyn married Marquis Henry Roberts (Bud), and they lived in Portland, Oregon and had a daughter named Debra Lee. Bud built the home they lived in and Evelyn called this the family home for almost 50 years. Many wonderful memories of family Christmases, celebrating birthdays, fabulous Halloweens, teen parties and memorable family gatherings were created there.

As time went on, Evelyn was called Mom, Grandma, Grandma Great or Great Grandma Great by around 40 descendants. These children, young adults and adults were her legacy and when any one of them walked into her room, you could see the joy in those twinkling eyes. You mattered; and at that moment she made you feel like the most important person in the world.

Personally Evelyn had many special interests and talents. She was an expert seamstress, could draw beautifully; was a great dancer; loved her dogs and cats; she enjoyed her garden and had an absolutely vivacious, outgoing personality. Her smile could light a room. She loved children and enjoyed interacting with all children. But it was her personal strength and conviction that was amazing. She was strong and with her extreme physical chronic back pain, she seems to be invincible.

Evelyn loved to take photos and document every moment and I am sure many of the family have inherited that trait.

It is lovely to remember her beauty and elegance. Evelyn had a great sense of style and from her youth till her death, she valued projecting femineity and style.

Evelyn saw the passing of both her x- husbands, both her sisters and her two beloved sons. The death of her sons in their 60’s was devastating for Evelyn.

Evelyn lived an interesting and long life, able to thrive and survive her or her families emotional, social and physical challenges, able to enjoy life’s special moments of happiness and, of course, able to create her own style of personal drama that tested your patience.

One thing is for sure; her family was the great source of her joy and her motivation.

Evelyn died at 94 years old in Newberg Oregon, January 19 of pneumonia, with her loving daughter Sherri by her side. She had been fighting to survive and live a good quality of life, while managing ongoing illnesses and horrible chronic back struggles.

Survivors include her two daughters, Sherri Norlander and Deb Lea, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.