Obituary of Darrell B. Roberts Sr.

Darrell B. Roberts Sr., age 88 longtime resident and businessman from Iowa City died at his home Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Funeral services will be held at 10am Friday, March 12th. at the North Liberty Baptist Church 1215 Jordan Drive, North Liberty) with burial to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City where military honors will be held. Services can also be viewed by family and friends through the livestreaming feature on the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com at Darrell’s page under obituary. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm Thursday at the church in North Liberty. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in his memory. To share a thought, memory or condolence please visit the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com. Darrell Burton Roberts Sr. was born August 23, 1932, in Millersburg, IA, in a house Southwest of the park to Burton Samuel Roberts and Iona Leona Roberts (Berstler). He attended rural schools in Homestead, Victor, Ladora and Hartwick. When he was a sophomore in high school the family moved to Parnell. He quit school and started working for Wilder Grain Feeds and was drafted in the Army in December 1950 receiving his high school diploma while in the service. While in the service he received training in Fort Leonard Wood, MO. He served in the Korean War in Okinawa, Japan for 18 months. When he returned home, he was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. It was there that he met his future wife Patricia Joan Holmes at Uptown Café restaurant in Noblesville, Indiana. They were married October 21, 1956. They day after they were married they moved to Ft. Sheridan, IL. After Darrell discharged from the Army he worked at Amana. He started his own construction company “Roberts Construction” in 1971. After retirement in 1997, they traveled to Nebraska and Indiana whenever they had a chance. They spent their winters in Texas. Patricia passed away December 5, 2005. Darrell met Maryann Orey in July/August 2007 and married in 2008 in De Soto, Iowa. They enjoyed traveling and going to Florida and Nebraska. They enjoyed spending time with their church family “North Liberty Baptist Church.” Darrell enjoyed going to the acreage mowing and mowing the neighbor’s yards. He was a lifelong member of the American Legion Post 17. He is survived by his wife, MaryAnn; his children, Darrell Jr. (Gail), Robin Mast (Rollin), Dwayne (Jamie); step sons, Larry Orey, John Orey (Linda), Cliff Orey, Everett Orey; former son-in-law, Leo Kron; grandchildren, Jeremy (Carrie), Jessica (Tyler), Jennifer (Ian), Austin, Jason, Kennett, Jesse, Brandon, Amber, Brandy, Larry, Chelsea, Andrew, Ruby and Maggie; and great-grandchildren, Savannah and Preston; siblings Carroll Roberts, Laurel (Janet) Roberts, Jelene (Bob) McCain, Doyal (Karen) Roberts. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Patricia, and great-granddaughter, Jordan Roberts, sisters-in law, Margaret Ann Roberts, and Pam Freeman and niece, Amber Freeman.