William "Bill" Roberts

Roberts, William Russell (Bill), 90, retired Postmaster of Kansas City and Navy veteran of World War II, died Sunday, October 2, 2011. Visitation 6:00-8:00 p.m. with Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 13, 2011 at McGilley Midtown Chapel, 20 West Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, Mo. Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Friday, October 14 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas. Graveside service (11:30) at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd & Quivira, Lenexa, KS.

Bill and his wife of 63 years, Mary McKibben Roberts, raised their 4 children in the Kansas City area. From August 1942 until December 1945 Bill served in U.S. Navy during WWII aboard the USS Indianapolis. During this time the Indy took part in many major battles, including the Mariana Islands, Saipan, Guam and Iwo Jima. He was transferred off the Indy to another Navy ship in March 1945 and four months later, the USS Indianapolis was sunk by enemy torpedoes.

After the war, Bill went to work for the U.S. Postal Service as a substitute clerk in Mission, KS. He served as District Manager in Wichita in the 1970s and retired in January, 1980 as Postmaster of Kansas City, MO. Bill also was also a member of a Marine Reserve Unit from 1948 until 1951 in Olathe, KS, a member of VFW Post 10552 in Shawnee, KS and a lifetime member of the American Legion.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, and sister, Anne. He is survived by his brother, John; sons, Michael (Sharon), of Parsons, Richard (Jeannie), of Wichita, Timothy (Lisa), of Denver, CO; daughter, Mary Pauline Matsuo (Ryan), of Honolulu, HI; ten grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.

Since Bill was a staunch supporter of the military and a true patriot, in lieu of flowers, his children request that you make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project @ www.supportwwp.org to help injured service members.

Semper Fi (Always Faithful). We will miss you greatly!