Paul Dennis Roberts

Paul Dennis Roberts, 72, passed away on July 3, 2013, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in West Helena, AR on July 17, 1940, to Ervin W. Roberts, Sr. and Allie Northcut Roberts. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Marcelle Huff Roberts, one daughter, Janet Hensley (Rod), one son, Dennis Roberts (Terri), and three grandchildren, Ashlee and Zachary Roberts and Kyle Hensley, all of Germantown, TN and a half-brother, Oral Roberts of West Helena, AR. He was preceded in death by his parents, and step-parents, James E. Terrell and Dorothy Roberts, four brothers, Ervin Jr., James, Donald, Edward, and one sister, Florence Plouffe. When his parents divorced, he went to St. Peter’s orphanage where he grew up. At age 11, for fear of being adopted, he ran away to live with relatives in West Helena. At 15, he returned to Memphis and got a job as an ambulance driver for Spencer Sturla Canale Funeral Home. He supported himself and graduated from Humes High School in 1958, as class Vice President. Upon graduation, he worked for Selph’s Cricket Ranch for 17 years and learning the wholesale live bait business. He was known by fishermen and those in the bait industry across the U.S., and became recognized as an authority on the biology of the Australian Grey Crickets and frequently fielded questions and research inquiries from biology and science departments from all over. He was co-owner, founder and manager of American Bait Company. He then joined the family business, Industrial Tool Co. where he was a Special Machine Tech, and served on the board until the business closed. He was hired by Williams Sonoma in 1992 as Maintenance Supervisor, where he retired in 2004. He attended Germantown Baptist Church. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with family and friends and was a member of Black’s Hunting Club in Desha County, AR, where he was president for 25 years. Family will gather with friends, from 3-5 p.m., Saturday, July 6, at Family Funeral Care, with a celebration of Paul’s life to follow. He will be buried at Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector, AR. Family requests any memorials be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Family Funeral Care 901-761-8000