Melvin Roberts

Melvin “Joe” Roberts was born on April 18, 1931 in Fort Smith Arkansas; he was the youngest of twelve children and moved to Idaho with his mom when he was ten. Joe’s first job was in Coulee City, Washington at a service station and later on the Dry Falls Dam and Hanford. In 1950, he moved to the Silver Valley and started working at the Sunshine Mining Company.

In 1952, Joe was drafted for the Korean Police Action, trained in California and served on the Hon Shu Air Base, Japan. While in Japan, he was an MP with the Marine Air Guard Helicopter Group and helped with the evacuation of U.S. troops that had been held as POW’s.

Joe returned to the Sunshine Mining Company in 1954 and retired from the mine in 1982.

Country music was one of the joys in his life. In the 50’s he played in a band called “Tex Lamb and the Roadside Playboys“.

To keep busy, Joe took a home study course in watch making in 1957 and in retirement, made a hobby of buying, selling and trading antique pocket watches.

In 1970, Joe met and married Beverly Lomas. They celebrated forty-three years together on December 12th of this year.

Joe loved children, he raised six and enjoyed fourteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

Joe passed away peacefully on December 28, 2013 at the age of 82. Joe is survived by his loving wife Beverly Roberts of the family home of Kingston; his children Charlene Melligan of Kingston, John Roberts of Kingston, Melva Roberts of Coeur d’ Alene, Claude Roberts of Page, Karen Nichols of Arvada, Colorado and David Lomas of Bountiful, Utah; his grandchildren Kenny Melligan, Tyna Roberts, Keyra Dixon, Melvin Joe Hollingsworth, Jean Seagraves, Amanda Cook, Christina Roberts, Claudia Sharp, Matthew Nichols, Alexander Nichols, Eric Lomas, Brad Lomas and twelve great-grandchildren. Joe was preceded in death by his parents and eleven brothers and sisters.

Memorial Services and A Celebration of Joe’s Life will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2014, at 2:00 P.M., at the Silver Valley Worship Center of Smelterville, Idaho with Pastor Corey Berti officiating.

Joe fed and loved all of us so we could pay it forward by feeding and loving others. So the family suggests that memorials may be made to the Food Bank of Shoshone County, 311 S. Main Street Kellogg, Idaho 83837.

SHOSHONE FUNERAL SERVICES & CREMATORY KELLOGG, IDAHO is entrusted with funeral arrangements.

---