John B. Roberts

John Bernice "JB" Roberts, of Groesbeck, passed away Friday February 18, 2011, at Providence Hospital in Waco. Visitation will be Monday, February 21, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Groesbeck with Rev. Steve Nance officiating. A Masonic burial will follow at Faulkenberry Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jimmy Roe, Ron Fritz, Bill Rook, Anthony Stirling, Eric Wietzikoski, and Tommy Hastings. Bernice was born October 21, 1912 in the Oletha community to James Benton and Melinda (Hastings) Roberts. He grew up in Oletha and graduated from High School in Groesbeck. In September 1935, he was united in marriage with Mary Lucille Jackson in Groesbeck. After finding work with Humble Oil on the Gulf Coast, they spent forty years living in Corpus Christi, Refugio and Clear Lake, until his retirement. They moved to Groesbeck in 1970, where they were very active in the community, organizing friends for dominoes, Sunday School classes, square dancing, and tour groups. JB was a 64-year Mason, and a member of Groesbeck Lodge #354. He had served as Worshipful Master not only in the Groesbeck Lodge but in two other places were he lived in the past. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Groesbeck. He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Herman Roberts; brother, Curtis Roberts; sister, Lena Mills; sister, Lucille Couch and their spouses; his wife, Mary Lucille Roberts; and a granddaughter, Pamela Martin-Wohlgemuth. Mr. Roberts is survived by his son, Jim Roberts of Rockwall, Tx; granddaughter, Sheila Stirling and husband Anthony of Rockwall; great-granddaughters, Brittani Sterling of Rockwall and Ashley Martin of Groesbeck; great-grandson, Brandon Wohlgemuth of McKinney; former daughter-in-law, Ann Rook and husband Bill of Dallas; long-time special friend, Jackie Santiago; brother, Beall Roberts and wife Maxine of Groesbeck; nieces, Ginger Fritz and husband Ron of Groesbeck and Patti Roe and husband Jimmy of Thornton and great-nephew, Benton Roe of Thornton; nephew, Bill Couch and wife JoAnn of Houston; niece, Jane Farmer and husband Bob of Houston; nephew, Randy Mills of Spring; and nieces Beth Elaine, and Sarah Redmon of Fort Worth.