TOPSFIELD, Mass. – Hartley F. Roberts Jr., 79, of Topsfield, Mass., died Tuesday, Dec. 14, following a brief illness.

Born in Providence, R.I., April 8, 1925, a son of the late Eleanor Raybold and Hartley F. Roberts Sr., he was a graduate of Brown University.

Following his graduation, he worked for Maurice H. Saval Inc. in Boston. He worked for more than 25 years with this company as a senior underwriter. After leaving Maurice H. Saval Inc., he worked for Beverly Hospital in patient accounts for several years, before illness prevented him from working.

Hartley married his loving wife, Dorothy (Merrill) on June 21, 1953. Together they raised three children.

Besides his wife of 51 years, he will be lovingly remembered by his children, Peter Roberts and his wife, Joan, of Groveland, Mass., Daniel Roberts and his wife, Lauren, of Newton, N.H., and Susan (Brewer) and her husband, Michael, of Freeport; and two sisters, Mary Louise Friberg of Temple, and Eleanor Littlefield of Salisbury, Vt. He will also be sadly missed by his three grandchildren, Jacob, Nathaniel and Zachary Roberts.

Mr. Roberts was predeceased by one sister, Miriam Ross.