Mary Bigham Roberts

Mary Bigham Roberts died quietly in her home on March 30, 2014 at the age of 97 years. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 3, 2014 at Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tim Crosby officiating. Burial will follow at Restland Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at the funeral home.Mary was born August 13, 1916 in Gatesville, Texas to Madison Cicero Griffith Bigham and Tommie Clyde Strickland Bigham. She attended school in Waco through the 9th grade, but returned to Gatesville to finish high school in 1934. She continued her education at Baylor University for two years, but life interrupted her education for the next 33 years. During that time she married Ben L. Roberts of Ireland, Texas in 1936 and raised two sons, Ben (Larry) and Tommy, in San Antonio, Texas where Ben worked at Kelly Air Force Base. Mary completed her education with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southwest Texas University in 1970, the same university from which both of her sons graduated. After retiring from teaching in 1978, she and Ben built a home in Gatesville and became members of Trinity Baptist Church. Any call for assistance from her church family always found her ready and willing to help. She gave many hours to volunteer work with such civic organizations as the Care Center, Coryell County Museum, Gatesville Garden Club and Morris Federation. She also kept up a weekly visitation list of friends who were homebound or living in care centers.She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Roberts in 1988.Survivors include sons, Ben Roberts and wife, Kay, and Tommy Roberts and wife, Carol; grandchildren, Anne Roberts and husband, Joe Smischney, Sarah Roberts, Cara Natt and husband, Ajit, Heath Roberts, and Madison Roberts; great-grandchildren, Kaylee Roberts, Daily Ward, Macey Bowens, Parker Bowens, Kristin Roberts, and Levi Smischney; and a beloved niece, Martha Wiggins of Indianapolis, Indiana held a special place in her life.Memorials may be made to Trinity Baptist Church, 1518 W. Main St., Gatesville, TX 76528 or Gatesville Care Center, 105 N. 7th, Gatesville, TX 76528.