Wife of William Everett Roberts. Daughter of Walter Langdon Blue and Mary Ethel Kells. Twin of Fae Leora Blue

OBITUARY

THE CHARITON HERALD-PATRIOT
Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, July 20, 2000

ROBERTS

Mae Leota Blue was born June 17, 1908, along with a twin sister, Faye, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation near Bonesteel, S.D. Her twin passed away at the age of two. Mae was the daughter of Walter Blue and Mary Ethel Kells and the granddaughter of Ezra Kells, a Civil War Veteran from Russell. She was born into a family of 13 children. Only two brothers, Ralph of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Robert Blue of Peoria, Ill. survive her.

Mae was married to William Everett Roberts in 1937. He passed away in 1968. Her two children, Ron and Kay, were born in 1939 and 1946 respectively. While she had always hoped for a granddaughter, Mae took great pride and joy in her grandsons, Sean McGee, Corey McGee, Nic Roberts, Alan Roberts and Forrest Roberts. She also had two great-grandchildren, Morgan and Hannah Roberts. Her sister-in-law, Moselle Blue, was also very dear to her. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews with whom she shared much affection.

Mae's parents moved to Russell when she was quite small. When she was seven years of age, they moved to Iberville Parish, La., where her father bought a plantation near the town of Grosse Tete. Some nine years later, she moved back to Russell where she finished her senior year of high school. She attended a summer school at Iowa State Teachers College and taught at several small schools in Lucas County, including the Goshen School near Derby.

After her marriage to Everett Roberts, she moved to Moline, Ill., where the family lived for eight years before moving to Lucas in 1948. Her long marriage to Everett was comforting to her, especially in their later years together. A few years after Everett's death, she moved to Chariton where she resided until 1993 when she moved to the Lutheran Home in Cedar Falls.

Mae valued learning greatly, and she was proud of the fact that she had won a 500 word spelling test in Louisiana as a child. Although financial realities made it impossible to obtain much higher education, she was sure to encourage this in her children. Her son, Ron, earned a Ph.D at Louisiana State University and became a longtime professor at the University of Northern Iowa. Her daughter, Kay, earned her Master's Degree from the University of Iowa. Mae always encouraged her grandchildren to complete their higher education as well.

In Louisiana, as a child, Mae joined the Methodist church, and by 1948 she had joined the Lucas branch of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She received much comfort from her religious faith and read scripture and words of inspiration daily to fortify herself for life's problems.

In her last years, Mae was loved, not only by her family and friends, but by the staff of the Lutheran Home in Cedar Falls. Her kindness and sweet-natured relations with the staff earned her a place in their hearts.

For many years, she suffered with ill health, including diabetes. Toward the end of her life, she bore the infirmities of extreme age with patience and courage and, in that sense, she was an example to us all.

Her funeral service was held at the Fielding Funeral Home in Chariton at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 17, 2000. Evangelist Joseph Smith officiated. Burial was in the Goshen Cemetery south of Lucas. Serving as bearers were Alan Roberts, Forrest Roberts, Sean McGee, Corey McGee, Terry McGee and Bill Medland.