James Roberts

James Milton Roberts Sr. Born May 31, 1929 in Murphysboro, Illinois to Willis Roberts (October 18, 1894 to September 17, 1931) and Nova Mae Kelly (September 6, 1898 to February 12, 1972).Jim died August 22, 2003 at 9:00 am after a long fight with lung cancer.(Don't ever smoke!)Jim was a devout Roman Catholic and a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Garland.Prior to moving out of Mesquite, Texas, Jim was a long time member of St. Pius X in Dallas. Jim was an avid camper, boater and fisherman. He always owned a boat and was probably most at peace in the middle of any lake with a cold beer.He loved to grill out in the back yard and was an accomplished cook in this domain.In his younger days he could fix anything mechanical or electrical and passed this expertise down to his offspring. Jim was a kind and gentle man whose pride and joy was his family and wife who always came first. He would befriend wild doves in the back yard to the point that they would fly to his table and eat out of his hand, much to everyone's disbelief.He also nurtured and kept doves that were too wounded to ever fly. Jim was raised in Murphysboro, Illinois and graduated from Murphysboro Township High School on May 29, 1947.He worked for J. C. Penny Co. from May 4, 1946 to May 15, 1948. He then joined the United States Navy on May 20, 1948 and served in the Pacific Fleet Submarine Group during the height of the Korean War.His most significant duty assignment was as an electrician aboard the USS Nereus AS-17.He was honorably discharged from the Navy on May 7, 1952. On June 14, 1952 he married Alvera Josephine Sukup daughter of Frank Sukup Jr. (January 13, 1905 to February 22, 1998) and Gertrude M. Jetter (July 14, 1907 to January 4, 1991).Jim and Alvera moved to Dallas in 1953 where their first son, Michael A. (Drew) Roberts was born.Jim started a new education program learning the printing and graphic arts industry. After a short stay in Dallas they moved to Rosebud Texas, hometown of his bride, and continued his schooling in the printing business and an apprenticeship with the Rosebud News. In 1955 their first daughter Janette F. Roberts was born in Rosebud. Jim started his 45+ year career in the printing business by opening his own shop, ROBERTS PRINTING Co., just off the downtown square of Georgetown, Texas. Although Jim is no longer associated with this shop, it still bears his name to this day.In 1956 while in Georgetown they had a second daughter Patricia A. Roberts.While establishing clientele for his shop he went to work for Color Press in Austin, Texas.In 1959 he moved his family to Austin Texas and continued to work at Color Press spending nights and weekends running his shop in Georgetown.In 1961 his second son James M. Roberts Jr. was born.In 1962 Color Press went bankrupt, and he turned his Georgetown print shop over to Pete Sukup and moved to Wolfe City, Texas to work for Henington Publishing Company. Two years later he moved to Dallas and went to work for Beddoe Printing and was hired away by Century Paper Co.In 1970 a third son Anthony L. Roberts was born.Jim was later employed by the Drawing Board/Drawing Board Greeting Cards as manager of purchasing and graphics.Jim stated he had, "very fond memories of the company and the people he worked with."The Drawing Board was purchased and moved to another state.Although Jim was born and raised in Illinois he said he got to Texas as quick as he could.Not wanting to be transplanted, he went to work for Graphics International as a printing broker for large companies.He brokered printing for companies like Shell and Frito-Lay. Jim finished his career like he started it working for himself.He became an independent manufacturers representative in the graphic arts industry working out of his house until he could work no more. He was preceeded in death by his father, Willis Roberts, his mother, Nova Mae Kelly, two brothers Rupert Eugene (3/7/26 - 9/19/83) and Herbert Edward Roberts (12/26/23 - 6/10/99), and his sister Geneva Mae Roberts Oehlert (6/2/20 - 9/21/97). He is survived by: His loving and caring wife of 51 years Alvera J. Roberts; son Michael (Drew) and wife Susan and children Abigail, Wesley, and Kelsey; daughter Janette Roberts Blair and her husband Bob; daughter Patricia Roberts Mills and her husband Dan, and children Nicole and Natalie; son James Jr. and wife Jo Ann; children of James Jr.; Cathi, Kimberly, Cristina, and Karri son Anthony and wife Teresa, and children Kristina and Tyler; and five Great Grand Children The above survivors loved Jim and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.