She grew up in Oklahoma City graduating from Capitol Hill High School in 1945. In her senior year, she was presented with the Gold Key for Art Achievement by the Oklahoma State School Superintendent.
Throughout her life she showed artistic mastery in many areas including woodcarving, clay molding, oil painting, seamstress, mural tempura painting, illustrating a cookbook and writing and illustrating her own children’s book. Professionally, she was known as an outstanding designer of bride’s wedding bouquets being employed by Morrison’s Floral and later by Flowers by Pat.
Arlillian married Raymond Paul Roberts on September 14, 1945. Their marriage lasted for seventy-five years being separated only by his death in 2020. Ray and Arlillian were blessed with two daughters, Cherrie Ann Hampton, wife of James Howard Hampton of Oklahoma City, and Jeannette Marie Bury, wife of Dr. Richard Bury of Denver, Colorado. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Mark Bury, Paul Bury, Timothy Bury, Angelica Bouse and Kimberly Arnold. Additionally she was the proud great-grandmother to nine children. She also leaves behind her loving sister, Helen Robey of Perkins, Oklahoma.
Visitation will be at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 8701 NW Expressway, Friday, October 21, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The service will be held at Council Road Baptist Church, 2900 N. Council Road, in the Chapel, Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. with viewing before the service. Burial at Spring Creek Memorial Cemetery, 14300 N County Line Road, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142.
