Arlie Gabriel Roberts

Arlie Gabriel Roberts was born to William Harrison Roberts and Jodie Ella (Morris) Roberts in Delhi, Oklahoma, on January 11, 1931.  He was the fourth of five brothers.

The family left Oklahoma during the Great Depression, bound for California, and they worked their way across the land on what was known as The Grapes Of Wrath doing any work they could find, but mostly picking crops.

They first settled in Healdsburg, California, and then moved to Rodeo, California, where the family made their permanent home.

Arlie was saved at age 14 at a revival and was a strong Christian for the rest of his life.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Rodeo from it’s beginning until the church closed. He taught Sunday School for many years, and taught his way through the entire Bible at least once.  He was the music director there for many years.

When Arlie was in high school, he met a pretty brunette, Lois Dollarhide, and the two were inseparable for the rest of their lives.  Arlie and Lois married on June 18, 1955 at the aforementioned church and were married for 59 years until Lois’ death in 2014.

Arlie worked hard to provide for his family.  He first worked at C&H Sugar in Crockett, California, but suffered an injury that required a change of jobs.  He worked for the next 25 years at United Grocers in Richmond, California, and was a member of the Teamsters Union.

Arlie was preceded in death by his parents and three of his brothers:  David, Levice, and William Harrison Jr., and his beloved wife, Lois.  He was also preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Rhonda Black 2015.  He is survived by his brother Carrol Roberts, and his remaining two daughters, Jodi Hankins (Tedd), of Covington, Washington, and Laurel Wright (David) of Hayden, Idaho; grandchildren Rebecca Gunnarson of Montana, Iain Wright of Missouri, Erica Hankins of Washington, Danielle Black of Illinois, and one great grandchild, Sean Wright of Iowa.