Obituary of Richard O. Roberts

Richard O. Roberts age 75 passed away on August 22nd in Surprise, Arizona after a lengthy illness. He was born in Waukesha on Dec.19th 1937. Richard was a 1956 graduate of Catholic Memorial High School. He married Carol Mlodzik in 1957. Dick had been employed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for 42 years managing bridge repair and roadway construction for southeast Wisconsin. He was a coach and athletic director for St. Mary's Catholic Grade School, Waukesha, for 13 years. Dick was President of Catholic Knights branch 40 for 30 years and also owned Wisconsin Athletic Supply. He was very active in sports throughout his life playing softball, tennis, golf and bowling. His Wisconsin Athletic softball team won the Waukesha class A city tournament in 1978. Dick continued playing softball after moving to Arizona and was the pitcher on several championship teams traveling around the western US. His greatest pleasure came from spending time with his family, coaching hundreds of kids in Waukesha and competing with his many teammates. Dick had been a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and was a 3rd Degree member of The Knights of Columbus. Dick will be sadly missed by his wife, Carol of 56 years; his five children, Richard (Lynn), Scott (Carol), Tammy (Rick) Gaszak, Robert (Tamarra) and Beth (David) Duehr. He is further survived by a cousin, Tom (Janet) Byington who was more like a brother and by his eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Josephine Roberts. The visitation for Dick will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the 11:00 a.m. Memorial Mass on Saturday, August 31, 2013 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 225 S. Hartwell Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186. Interment will immediately follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, with Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dicks name appreciated to Waukesha Catholic School System, 221 S. Hartwell Ave. Waukesha, WI. 53186