1934 – 2016

LEWISTON — Richard “Dick” Roberts, 82, of Lewiston and formerly of Gray, passed away Monday, Sept. 12, at his home in Lewiston.

He was born in Barton, Vt., March 27, 1934, son of Vernon and Sylvia (Perry) Roberts. He received his education in a one-room schoolhouse and high school at Barton Academy, graduating with second honors. He spent his U.S. Army time in Fort Dix, N.J., Fort Gordon, Ga., and as a high-speed Morse code and teletype operator in Korea.

He returned home and worked for E.M. Brown & Son in Barton for 11 years, a job he loved very much. His greatest love was his special one and only wife, Jeannine (Racicot), whom he married after his return from Korea. They both came from farm families so they stayed in agriculture until his retirement in 1996 due to health problems.

He worked on high-end registered Jersey, Guernsey and Holstein herds at Wonderview Farm, Barton, Vt.; Bushy Park Farm, Wake, Va.; and Wilsondale Farm, Gray. He then became a professional A.I. technician for Eastern A.I., later Genex in Ithaca, N.Y., remaining in Maine in his own unit covering parts of York, Cumberland, Oxford and Androscoggin counties. He was Eastern’s overall technician in 1978 in New England and New York, and received many other awards. He always gave his farmers the credit for his success. He enjoyed counting them all as his friends and putting their goals and success ahead of his own. He loved being outside and around nature all those years.

His wife and his family were front and center and he never felt he enjoyed them enough because he worked long stretches at a time with very few weekends off, but after his retirement, made up for lost time. His best saying was, “Do your giving while you’re living” and he and Jeannine taught their grown children that way.

His hobbies were little things like reading, puzzles, traveling the U.S., sports (especially at playoff time), playing cards and seeing his grandchildren grow. He played baseball semi-pro for a while and was known as a better-than-average hitter playing center field or catching, even winning a batting championship in 1961.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 57 years, Jeannine; and their four children and their families, Doug and his son, Matt, Doug’s wife, Cheryl and their daughter, Abigail; David, his wife, Michelle, and twins, Digby and Wylie; Dan and his son, Zachary, and daughter, Cordiela; Diane, her husband, Mark, daughter, Madison and son, Andrew; one sister, Gertrude Scheer from Bayside Hills, N.Y.; one brother, George and wife, Barbara, of Woodbury, Conn.; and nieces, nephews, in-laws and outlaws.

He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, Ernest, and his wife, Madeline; and nephew, Jimmy, his godson.

Condolences and directions available at www.wilsonfhllc.com.