Ila Jean Roberts

She was born December 28, l932 in McLean County, the daughter of Paul and Ella Buth. She married R. Thomas Roberts on August l, 1954, in Bloomington, IL.

On August 22, 1962 they moved to Springfield. Ila was active with Springfield Newcomers club, joined two bridge clubs and was a member of the Federated Junior Woman’s Club. She was active in the Springfield Civic Garden Club for 40 years and just recently received the Margaret Gaule Lifetime Achievement Award. An avid craftsperson, she was a member of the Springfield Ceramics & Crafts Club for 40 years, and taught many varied craft classes. Ila was a volunteer at the Illinois State Museum, and received the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award in 2004. She was a founding member of the Prairie Weaver’s Guild of Springfield, and demonstrated spinning and weaving at special events and entered textiles for 35 years at the Illinois State Fair. She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

Ila expressed thanks to all of her great friends for their wonderful support. She will be dearly missed by friends and her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents

.

Ila is survived by her husband, R. Tom Roberts; a son, Brian Roberts (Elaine) of Broomfield, CO and two daughters, Diana LeMasters (Tom) of Springfield and Linda Meseck (Greg) of Lake Forest, IL; grandchildren Brad and Matthew LeMasters, Jenna Roberts, Cameron and Bailey Meseck; her brother, Richard Buth of Napa, CA; mother-in-law, Roberta Roberts of Bloomington, IL, who recently turned 100 years old; and a sister-in-law, Janice Mair of Normal, IL.

Family will receive friends on Monday, March 22 from 4 - 7 p.m. at Boardman-Smith Funeral Chapel, 800 S. Grand Ave. W., Springfield, IL. Funeral services will follow on Tuesday, March 23, 10 a.m. at Boardman-Smith with Dr. Wayne Hoffman officiating. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Donations may be made to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church or St. John’s Home Hospice. Please visit the on-line obituary at www.boardman-smith.net.