Evelyn N. Roberts

Evelyn (Nordahl) Roberts, age 93, passed away peacefully on March 5th surrounded by her family at her home at The Residence at Vinnin Square in Swampscott, MA. She was the loving and devoted wife of Harold D. Roberts, with whom she shared 60 years of marriage before his passing in 2011.

Born in Chicago, IL on March 27, 1929, Evelyn was the second child and only daughter of Sigurd and Lilly (Andreson) Nordahl, who met in Chicago after both had immigrated at a young age from Norway, through Ellis Island, about 15 years before. The hardship of the Depression would soon drive the need for Sigurd to find work wherever he could to support the family, which came to be construction work on new campus buildings at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

Evelyn grew up in Ithaca, working in local downtown retail stores, and waiting tables at the Inn at Taughannock Falls. She graduated with academic honors from Ithaca High School in 1946; and subsequently, went on to achieve a degree in retail business management from The New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, Utica in 1948. That degree and her retail experience during her teenage years brought her to a position at McCurdy’s Department Store in Rochester NY. It was there where she met Harold Roberts through a mutual friend at the store. They were married in 1951, and settled in Irondequoit, NY where they raised their three boys. Career opportunities for Harold brought the family to Longmeadow, MA in 1968; and after all the boys had gone off to college, to Greenfield, MA. Upon retirement, Harold and Evelyn lived in Sandwich, MA for a time before settling in Swampscott to be near their grandchildren in Marblehead.

Throughout her life, Evelyn was actively involved in volunteer work wherever they lived - at a hospital, homeless shelter, soup kitchen, library or school, but most especially as an extraordinarily faithful member of their local church at the time, where she found great joy singing in the choir; and through her dedicated work on the flower and altar guilds. She had special gift for achieving pristinely white, crisply ironed fair linens to enhance the beauty of the liturgy each Sunday.

Evelyn loved classical music, cherishing time listening to the Met Opera broadcasts on Saturday afternoons, and attending BSO concerts at Tanglewood and Symphony Hall, Boston. She rarely missed watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune or her beloved Red Sox; and completing daily crosswords. She especially enjoyed hosting at her home, whether it was feeding chocolate chip cookies to friends of her boys, Holiday feasts with her family, or adult cocktail parties with neighbors featuring signature Manhattans.

She leaves her sons, Jamey (Vera) Roberts of New Britain, CT, Tom Roberts of Tacoma, WA, and Paul (Mary) Roberts of Marblehead; her grandchildren, Liz, Andy, Lily, and Cordelia; 2 great-grandchildren, as well as nephews and their families. She was especially grateful for the loving care and companionship provided to her during the last five years of her life by the aide and dining staff at the Residence Vinnin Square, as well as Freedom Home Care, especially Myrna and Beatrice; and most recently, the wonderful Beacon Hospice staff.

A funeral service for Evelyn will be held on Saturday, March 25th at 11:00 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Marblehead, with interment immediately thereafter in the churchyard cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the charity of your choosing, or to the altar guild fund of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church or Church of the Advent, Boston. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com for the Roberts family.