Leta Cinderella Roberts

Leta Cinderella Roberts died on November 10th at 92 years of age. She was active and in good health until the last few months of her life. She was born eighth in a family of fifteen children with four sets of twins, of which she was one. Family reunions were big events with laughter and stories of growing up in Nebraska among so many with very little.

Leta married Wesley L. Roberts in May 1948. She fell in love with the handsome Navy veteran. They were married 66 years at the time of Wes’s death in 2014. Wes and Leta attended big band dances in the post WWII era dance halls of Western Nebraska, even winning a dance contest under a mirror ball. They were great “Jitterbuggers” continuing to dance through life in retirement. Both from small towns in Nebraska, they traveled by RV extensively after raising their family.

Leta and Wes were very much partners in their various family business interests, putting much time and sweat equity into elevating their family and providing their children with opportunities. Leta was a devoted and proud mother of her young family and throughout their lives always provided love and encouragement. She was a great mom who created clothing designs for her daughters, helped with home room treats, provided after school permit driving practice, embraced her kids’ friends and was there for them whenever they needed her. She was a longtime homemaker who followed her youngest back to school and enjoyed 14 years as a teacher aide at Monmouth Elementary. She and Wes were faithful members of the First Baptist church of Monmouth for many years. Leta’s loves included travel, reading, arts and crafts, stitchery and writing. In later life she often said “walking’s my thing” and read a couple of books each week.

Leta and Wes moved to the Capital Manor community in Salem in 2000, making new friends while still traveling. Leta enjoyed the many activities, dining partners, walks on the lovely grounds and not cooking. The music programs, Choralairs membership, Vespers and game nights were special joys. Capital Manor friends added depth to her life there.

Leta is survived by her loving children, Valorie Freeman (Salem), Wesley “Randy” (Colleen/North Carolina) and Bruce (Washington) and twin grandsons Charles and Patrick (Washington). Her husband Wesley, daughter Victoria Roberts and son-in-law Harold Freeman preceded her in death. Leta outlived most of her siblings, notably her twin Veda Shafer, Mary Kuxhausen, Martha Loughran and Shirley Niederkorn. There were two sisters of the fifteen siblings living at the time of her death.

Leta will be interred at Willamette National Cemetery with her husband Donations may be made to the Capital Manor Foundation, 1955 Salem Dallas Highway NW, Salem, OR 97304 or Willamette Valley Hospice 1015 3rd St. NW, Salem, OR 97304. No service is planned at this time.