Joseph Murray Roberts

Born to Elmo Murray Roberts and Blanche Simmons Roberts on May 19, 1941 in Portsmouth, Virginia, Joe never met a stranger. From his early days as a boy scout and altar boy at Holy Angels Catholic Church he met the world with a contagious smile, which he kept all his life. After graduating from Churchland High School in 1959, he joined the Navy, where he served as a hospital corpsman at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. A born salesman, he went on to work in lumber sales. It was during this time that he met and married his beloved Barbara, his wife of sixty three years. Joseph and Barbara moved to Hanover, Virginia in 1971, where they built by hand the idyllic log cabin where they would spend more than fifty years together. An avid golfer, he cherished both the sport and his friends. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, neighbor, and friend, and he will be deeply missed.

Joseph is preceded in death by his brother-in-laws Dell Zyrkle, Herb Porter, and his wife, Barbara Kyle Roberts, whom he missed dearly.

He is survived by his sisters, Blanche Roberts Porter of Chesapeake, Virginia, and Mary Roberts Butt of Cumming, Georgia. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law, Dan Butt of Cumming, Georgia, Bonnie Zyrkle of Chesapeake, Virginia, David and Judy Kyle of Richmond, Virginia, and Michael and Robert Kyle of Portsmouth, Virginia. Also surviving are his three children, Joseph Murray Roberts, Jr. of Hanover, Virginia, Audrey Roberts Scherr and husband Jay Scherr of Flagler Beach, Florida, Dianne Roberts Barr and husband Michael Barr of Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, and his “third daughter” Dena Messina of Hanover, Virginia.

Also surviving are his grandchildren, Nathan Roberts of Henrico, Virginia, Evan Scherr of Flagler Beach, Florida, Julia Barr and husband Gordon Roper of Los Angeles, California, and Ethan Barr of Manakin-Sabot, Virginia.

Joseph was a frequent guest of the nuns of the Monastery of the Visitation of Holy Mary Monte Maria in Rockville, Virginia, where a funeral Mass will be held in his memory on Monday, April 20th, 2026, at 2:30 pm. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the sisters of the Monastery of the Visitation of Holy Mary Monte Maria on 12221 Bienvenue Road Rockville, Virginia 23146.