Joan Roberts

Joan Roberts, age 88, passed away peacefully in Boulder, Colorado on July 31, 2019 due to congestive heart failure.

She was born on October 29, 1930 to the late Nelle and Everett Patterson, in Napa, California. Joan graduated from Tech High School in East Des Moines, Iowa in 1948 then attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and graduated in Elementary Education. She married the late Lee E. Roberts in 1952, and they lived together in Des Moines, IA. for 38 years. before retiring in Mesa, AZ. Joan is survived by six children; Catherine Roberts, of St. Augustine, FL.; Mills Roberts, of Des Moines, IA.; Anne Wandler (Kenwood), of Wittman, AZ., Janet Ryden (John), of Boulder, CO., Mary Yeager (Dan), of Shirley, N.Y. and John Roberts, of Des Moines, IA. She is also survived by five grandchildren; Jack, Lydia, Dylan, Mills and Sam. Also, survived by her brother, Jack Patterson and sister-in-law Betty of Tucson, AZ and her sister-in-law, Sue Klopf, of West Des Moines, IA. Joan was predeceased by her loving husband, Lee in 2003.

At a young age, she went by the nickname of Cookie, then at the age of six, her father passed away and the family moved from California to Iowa. In college, she was a sister in the Delta Gamma Sorority, in which she was a finalist for Ms. Drake in 1951. While on a blind date she met Lee Roberts in which sparks flew and they were married a year later. Lee and Joan were married 54 years and loved their 6 children plus Joan’s dogs, Charlie, Pumpkin and Bailey who adored her. Her husband, Lee, had a successful furniture business allowing Joan to be a devoted homemaker. Joan and Lee did a lot of traveling, she volunteered at the hospital and was a great cook and baker. A favorite of the family were her cherry pies. They lived in Mesa, AZ. for 12 years until Lee’s passing then she relocated to Lafayette, Colorado to be near her two daughters. She spent her final months under the skilled and loving hospice care of Trail Winds in Boulder, Co. at Morning Star Assisted Living. Joan was a Christian who attended Catholic Church and loved her belief in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Joan had both grace and patience and she went above and beyond to provide advice, courage or laughter and to always give generously of herself. She had a youthful spirit and loved whole-heartedly with kindness and honesty towards all. She will be greatly missed, but lovingly remembered.

A Memorial service is October 19, 2019 at 11:00 am at St Theresa’s Church at 1230 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, Iowa. Reception to follow immediately at the church. Later, she will be buried next to her husband, Lee, at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.