Richard F. Roberts

Date: October 23, 2007

Richard F. Roberts Dick/Rick of Englewood, FL, formerly of Columbus, IN and Boston, MA died of end stage pulmonary fibrosis on October 22, 2007 at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

A Eucharistic Memorial Celebration of his life will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 401 West Henry St., Punta Gorda on Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 11A.M., followed by a reception in the Great Hall.

The son of the late Fred Ernest and Miriam Sloan Roberts, he was born on September 14, 1934 and grew up in Quincy, MA and summers at Prudence Island, RI. After graduating from Boston University, he was accepted at Officer Candidate School, USN, and was commissioned as Ensign in March 1957.He served as gunnery officer on destroyer escorts in the North Atlantic for three years.

Most of his professional life was spent in hospital administration, first as Administrative Director of the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy, a collaborative project in cancer care by Harvard Medical Schools teaching hospitals, Boston, MA. He retired as Administrative Director of Cancer Care at Columbus Regional Hospital, Columbus, Indiana in 2000. Together with others, he helped found the Society for Radiation Oncology Administrators and served in several capacities and as its President from 1986-87

Survived by his wife of fifty years, the Rev. Judith Sims Roberts, children, Sarah Barton, Kenneth Grantham, NH; Hilary S. Roberts, New York City; Nancy R. James Robert, Tulsa, OK; John S. Roberts Deidra, Willow Spring, N.C.; grandchildren, Richard Webber, Johanna Webber, Tyler Roberts, Jacob Roberts; brother William E. Roberts Helen and two nephews, Scott and Mark Roberts.

Making music was his passion and lifelong avocation. He studied privately with Julius Chaloff, piano, George Faxon, John Woodworth, and Marilyn Keiser, organ, and spent his Sundays at the organ bench from the time he was fourteen years of age. Playing first at Dix St. Unitarian Church, Dorchester, MA, he later became organist/choirmaster at Christ Episcopal Church, Needham, MA., a post he held for twenty years. Later, he served as O/C at St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Columbus, IN. At the time of his death he was Music Director at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Punta Gorda, FL where he was privileged to have been part of their rebirth following hurricane Charley and to have presided over the installation of their new organ.

He was an active member of the American Guild of Organists and The Association of Anglican Musicians, participated in Leadership Bartholomew County and served on several community boards in Columbus, IN. In his retirement, he volunteered at the Englewood Chamber of Commerce, and for the Democratic Club of Englewood.

He was a member of St. Davids Episcopal Church, Englewood. Rick will be forever remembered for his love of sacred music, his cheerful, funny, warm-hearted personality, his life of stewardship in the service of our Lord, his unforgettable Services of Advent Lessons and Carols from Christ Church, Needham and as the light of his family.

In lieu of flowers, they ask that memorials in Dicks memory be made to the Church of the Good Shepherd Endowment Fund; St. Davids permanent Endowment Fund; the Music and Education Fund at St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Columbus IN or the Music Fund at Christ Episcopal Church, Needham, MA.

Lemon Bay Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. You may express your condolences to the family at lemonbayfh.com