Marvin Frank Roberts

Marvin Frank Roberts, 92, of Topeka, passed away on Sunday, October 12, 2008 at Midland Hospice House in Topeka. He was born on May 24, 1916 in Guthrie, OK, the son of George Frank and Jessie May Roper Roberts. He attended high school at Ketchum High School in Oklahoma and then to Kansas State University in Manhattan for two years before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He was inducted in the Army Infantry in March of 1942 and after basic training was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, 13th Infantry Regiment, where he attained the rank of First Lieutenant and was discharged in August of 1945 after spending eight months at an Army hospital in Temple, TX. Marvin received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was a printer for the Capital-Journal in Topeka until 1946, then went to Chicago to the Chicago Tribune. In December of 1947, he went to Monterey, CA to work for his former regimental commander, Robert Griffin, publisher of the Monterey Peninsula Herald. After spending five and a half years there, he returned to Topeka and the Capital-Journal in August of 1953 and in 1967 was employed at the State Printing Plant where he retired in 1981. Marvin was a 60 year member of the International Typographical Union and member of the American Radio Relay League with an amateur radio call of W0RQY. He was an avid bowler in Topeka and loved watching KU basketball and football games on TV. Marvin married Barbara Anne Hetherington in 1947 in Lyndon, KS. She preceded him in death in 1992. He was also preceded in death by one sister, Evelyn Rice. Survivors include three daughters, Georgiana Roberts of Centralia, Danna Roberts of the home, Alice Anne (Israel) Perez of Topeka, one son, Robin (Jeri) Roberts of Topeka, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 17, 2008 at Mount Hope Cemetery. Marvin will lie in state from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Thursday at Newcomer Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be given to Midland Hospice Care, 200 S.W. Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606.