Harold Roberts Jr.

Harold Erven Roberts Jr. was born March 20, 1929, the son of Harold E. Roberts Sr. and Clara Eatinger Roberts. He passed away Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at Greenfield Rehabilitation and Heath Care Center in Greenfield, just shy of his 90th birthday.

Harold graduated from Greenfield High School in 1947, and served in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953. On Oct. 16, 1954, Harold married Mary Esther Parlee at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.

During his younger years, Harold worked jobs based in agriculture. One of his favorite positions was as herdsman for the state of Iowa, where he managed the dairy at Woodward State Hospital and supervised the patients who were among his employees. Another favorite was being parts manager for McCunn’s John Deere in Greenfield.

Harold was active in the community. Through the years, he was a member of American Legion and Early Wheels. Harold also served on boards and committees for the Optimists and United Methodist Church. He stepped down from serving on the board for Oak and Birch Villages a few years ago.

Harold loved horses. In the early years, he had ponies and turned his kids lose in a pony cart and help them show the ponies at the Adair County Fair. Later, he began cutting harness for Breyer horse models and building various wooden wagons.

Harold is preceded in death by his parents and his wife Mary; his brother Joe Clyde and sister Mary Bailey Goodell; and his brothers-in-law, Lee Vandewater, Jerry Stegge and Bruce Jones.

He is survived by his children, Roger (Patty) Roberts of Afton, Sherry Roberts of Des Moines and Scott Roberts of Greenfield; his grandchildren, Ashley Roberts of Omaha, Nebraska, Dillon (Jessie) Roberts of Winterset, Jake Roberts of Omaha, Nebraska, and Nick (Alexus) Roberts of Winterset; four great-grandchildren, Kayla, Colton, Brooklynn and Callie of Winterset; his sisters, Helen (Ed) Abbott and Connie Stegge of Ames and Sherry Jones of Waseca, Minnesota; and many other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 22, at United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at the United Methodist Church with a luncheon to follow. A graveside service will be held at a later date for immediate family.