Hale Edward Roberts Sr.

A memorial gathering for Hale Edward Roberts Sr., of Ridgeland,will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007, at the home of Mary KellySecrest, 123 Windrush, Ridgeland.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov.21, 2007, at Easthaven Cemetery in Brookhaven. Riverwood FamilyFuneral Service is in charge of local arrangements.

Mr. Roberts, 86, died Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 at Saint Dominic -Jackson Memorial Hospital in Jackson. He was born in Marianna,Ark., in 1921. His family soon moved to Jackson thereafter.

He graduated in 1939 from Central High School where heparticipated in the band and a number of other activities. Mr.Roberts attended Mississippi State University where he earned aBachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1943. He was amember of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and he played trumpet for themarching band. He remained a loyal State fan all his life.

Mr. Roberts joined the Navy during World War II, where heparticipated in several engagements in the Pacific Theatre. He wasawarded several commendations, including the Bronze Star for savinghis battleship from sinking from enemy attack by sealing all thecompartments and making the ship airtight. He continued to serve inthe Naval Reserves for the next 30 years. He attained the rank ofcommander.

Discharged from the Navy in Boston, he worked for a consultingengineering firm for several years. He met and married MarjorieHalstead, who was working as a registered nurse. In the late 50sRoberts moved to Brookhaven, where he went to work as sales managerfor his father’s company, Mississippi Wood Preserving. Soon after,he left to begin his long career in the oil business, where heworked in every aspect from drilling to leasing right-of-way.

Mr. Roberts was an active participant in the Masons, and was aPast Master of The Massachusetts Lodge, Boston. He served on theboard of the Mississippi A&I Board, and was a colonel in theadministration of Governor Ross Barnett as well as on thegovernor’s staff of Paul B. Johnson.

As an avid pilot, he loved to travel; however, his lifelongpassion was golf. He started playing at age 6, and throughout hislife won numerous tournaments, including twice winning theChampionship Tournament of the Jackson Country Club of Jackson in1964 and 1965, where he was a member for over 30 years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie; and his parents,L.L. and Rosalie Hale Roberts.

Survivors are his son, Hale Roberts Jr., of Jackson; hisdaughters, Tracy Jean-Chronberg, of Cambridge, Mass., and LyndonRoberts, of Los Angeles; as well as four grandchildren and twogreat-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to be sentto the Jackson Animal Rescue League.