William James Roberts, Jr.

William J. Roberts, Jr. was born May 19, 1937 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He passed away peacefully at the age of 79 on January 7, 2017 in Afton, Oklahoma. He graduated high school in Charlestown, MA. He served in the U.S. Army Active Duty 1956-1958 and Inactive Duty 1958-1962. Bill was raised in Massachusetts, where he met and married his wife and life partner, June N. Ritchie. They were married for 39 years. Bill and June were world travelers and enjoyed vacationing with their good friends, Jimmy and Dolly Dorough and Larry and Diane Horton. William was a member of the Electrical Brother Workers Union Local 103 I.B.E.W. and was initiated on April 4, 1956. He was a member for 61 years. He worked for Northfork Electric in Boston. He and June relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma in the winter of 1979. Bill and his brother-in-law, Bill Ritchie, created Ritchie-Roberts Construction Company. While in Tulsa he was employed at Mohawk Steel, American Pipe Bending, and Tulsa Pipe Benders. He retired at the age of 68. William was known by his family and friends as Uncle Bill, Bill, and Billy. He was born to parents Florence Armstrong and William J. Roberts, Sr. His religious affiliation was Episcopalian. Bill loved boating, skiing, sky diving, piloting his plane, and was an avid golfer. He was a long time member of The Oaks Country Club in Tulsa. Bill was larger than life and loved spending time with family and friends. He was always the life of the party and everyone around him was sure to have a lot of laughs. He loved the lake life. His favorite travel destination was Africa with his great friends Diane Laramore and Lewis Dillon. William leaves behind nieces Suzanne Gillis, Patricia Smith, Deborah Scannel, Karen Lueck, Ellen Arsenault, and Lori Fagone; nephews Thomas Houldcroft, Timothy Houldcroft, Dennis Ritchie, David Ritchie, Steven Ritchie, Keith MacPherson, and Gary MacPherson; brother-in-law Donald Ritchie; sisters-in-law Carol Ritchie and Donna Ritchie. He was preceded in death by his parents Florence Armstrong and William J. Roberts, Sr.; wife June: sister Beverly Houldcroft; brothers-in-law Bill Ritchie and Ken MacPherson; sister-in-law Mary Ann Ritchie; niece Susan Ritchie; and nephew Scott Ritchie. William also leaves behind many close relatives and friends from Oklahoma and the Boston area including Victor Mondello, Lester and Susan Veltman, Larry and Diane Houston, Dolly Dorough, Lewis Dillon, Diane Laramore, Dianna McIntyre, and Robert "Mickey" McManus. Memorial services will be held from 2-4 pm Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at Moore Southlawn Chapel in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Interment services are yet to be announced but will be held at Knollwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Canton, Massachusetts. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233

William James Roberts, Jr.

May 19, 1937 - January 7, 2017