Royal Melvin Roberts

Royal Melvin Roberts, Jr. passed away Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Royal was born November 15, 1934 to Royal Melvin Roberts, Sr. and Velma Ruth (Marks) Roberts; he was 84 years old. Royal grew up in Eugene, Oregon area, the oldest of 12 children; three of which did not live passed infancy. He met the love of his life, Anita Marie Hixson, at a Christmas party when he was in high school. The two were married June 8, 1953. Royal studied the carpentry trade under Oklahoman Earl Drew; who took the young man in and taught him to be an excellent carpenter. In his career, he built many homes and was known as a craftsman of the trade, always going above and beyond to build a structurally sound and beautiful home. In 1971, he moved his family from Oregon to central California, where he joined his brother-in–laws, Lester & Walter Hixson, in their building business. In California, he received his general contracting license. Among many of his projects over the years, he worked with Earl Drew on the construction of his home church in Eugene, Oregon, Willamette Christian Center, at their first location on 13th and Madison in the early 1960's. In 1975, he became the Superintendent for the building project of his home church in Lodi, California; Century Assembly. In 1998, Royal and Anita moved to Meridian, Idaho to retire and live near his boys. In 2018, he moved to Okmulgee, Oklahoma to live with his daughter and her husband after his wife of 64 years passed away. Royal was a quiet spoken man and lived a life of integrity and faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord. He passed peacefully after a short illness of pancreatic cancer at Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Royal is survived by his four children, Brenda Maxine Thompson and her husband James of Okmulgee, Max Lee Roberts and his wife Debbie of Meridian, Idaho, Christy Marie Wood and her husband Mark of Enid, Oklahoma, and Robert ‘Bob’ Dean Roberts and his wife Melissa of Meridian, Idaho. His grand children and great grand children: Brenda’s children, Kathryn Curtis and her husband Chris of Andover, Kansas and their three, Benjamin, Luke and Lauren, Michelle Berglind and her husband Dorian of Tulsa, Oklahoma and their four children, Christlyn, Ethan, Jadon and McKinley, Jennifer Susan Parker and her husband Daniel of Bixby, Oklahoma and their four children Caleb, Evelyn, Lydia and Isaiah. Max’s children, Shanelle Roberts and Brian Roberts and his wife Jennifer of Meridian, Idaho and their six children, Austin, Ethan, Gannon, Grayson, Lilly and Bailey. Christy’s children, Sharon Joy Hudson and her husband Stephen "Bo" of Okmulgee, Jonathan David Wood and his wife Sandie of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Daniel James Wood of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Bob’s daughter, Tiffany Deanne Jones of Orange, California. Royal also had eight siblings, Lavern Roberts and wife Jean of Eugene, Oregon, Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Sutton of Camino, California, Richard ‘Dick’ Roberts and his wife Virginia of Springfield, Oregon, Dale ‘Cash’ McCall and his wife Connie of Colbert, Washington, Everett "Leo" McCall and his wife Colleen of Tacoma, Washington, Gayle Jordan and her husband Clark of Auburn, Washington and Gloria Diehl and her husband Dave of Sand Point, Idaho.

Royal’s remains will be taken to Idaho and laid to rest with his wife at Star Cemetery in Star, Idaho where the family will have a graveside service at a later time.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Schaudt’s Okmulgee Funeral Service and Cremation Care Centers. Friends and family may leave their condolences and memories or Royal at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com