William S. Roberts

Rev. William S. Roberts, 92, of Lewisport, formerly of Owensboro, passed away on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Heartland Villa in Lewisport. He was born May 3, 1924 in Lewisport to the late Forrest and Bernice Bryant Roberts. Rev. Roberts was a retired minister and pastor with the Southern Baptist Churches and was a member of First Baptist Church in Owensboro. He had pastored many churches in his lifetime including New Panther Creek and Bells Run Baptist Churches in the Ohio Co. Association, Buck Creek, Temple, South Hampton, and Pleasant Grove Baptist Churches in the Daviess-McLean Association, Mt. Eden and Chestnut Grove Baptist Churches in the Blackford Association, and Bethel Baptist Church in Columbus, IN.

Rev. Roberts had served on many committees and positions in the Southern Baptist Convention; had served on the Kentucky State Executive Board; the Cumberland College Pastor's Advisory Board; had served as Interim and Supply Pastor in many churches after his retirement in 1987. He also had worked at the General Electric Co. in Owensboro for 14 years. He was a Kentucky Colonel and a member of the American Legion. He was a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps having served from 1943 until 1946, was in the Asiatic Pacific Theater in the Aleutian Islands, and the 18th Fighter Squadron of the 11th Air Force.

Rev. Roberts was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Pickering Roberts on March 10, 2006. Surviving are his children, son Rev. Timothy W. Roberts and wife Kay of Hawesville, daughters Brenda Stroud and husband Jerry of Owensboro and Betty Jean Wardrip and husband Earl of Owensboro, seven grandchildren, Mark Higdon and Darrin Higdon, both of Owensboro, Christy Dickerson and husband Bob of Terre Haute, IN, Ronnie Stroud and wife Dr. Cynthia Bowman-Stroud of Paducah, Allison Stroud of Owensboro, Jessica Griffitts and husband Charlie of Stanford, KY, and Jeremy Roberts of Hawesville, 14 great grandchildren, two sisters, Patsy Burns of Lewisport and Elizabeth Hall and husband Albert of Maceo, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be Noon Tuesday, May 24, at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory with Dr. Paul Strahan and Rev. Jerry Tooley officiating. Burial will follow in Owensboro Memorial Gardens with full military honors. Visitation will be from 2:00-7:00 P.M. Monday and after 10:00 A.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, c/o First Baptist Church, 230 J. R. Miller Blvd., Owensboro, KY 42303 or to Heartland Villa, 8005 U. S. Highway 60, Lewisport, KY 42351. Condolences to the family may be placed at www.glennfuneralhome.com.