William Roberts a man you could count on

When William H. Roberts went into a grocery store, chances were he would be there for a while.

“We couldn’t go anywhere where we didn’t run into somewhere he knew,” said his daughter Jemie Turnley.

Roberts, who had a smile for everyone, leaves a legacy of friendship, boundless generosity and deep commitment to doing the right thing. He died on Sept. 19; he was 82.

“He was probably the role model that everyone wished they would have for their kids,” said his daughter Joan Roberts. “When people didn’t trust anyone else, they trusted Dad.”

Roberts, who was born in Colfax, moved to Spokane Valley with his family in 1934. He studied pre-law at Santa Monica Junior College in California and also received Air Force flight training during World War II. He met his wife, Beverly, in 1946 at Kinman Business College; they would have celebrated 59 years of marriage in November.

“He was a very loving man,” Beverly Roberts said. “He never met anyone he didn’t like … He had a great compass for people.”

It was after the war that Roberts launched his business career that would encompass several establishments in the coming years. He owned fuel-related businesses including Associated Service Station on Garland and Monroe, Appleway Fuel on East Sprague and Audubon Fuel. Although he retired in 1976 from the fuel industry, he became part owner of Spokane Recycling in 1977 and retired again in 1981. Roberts then took on commercial real estate, working with the Campbell Co. and Tomlinson Commercial Real Estate, retiring finally at 75.

His business acumen was well respected and he was well liked by his competitors, Beverly Roberts said.

“His opinions meant so much to everyone and his opinions were always right,” Turnley said.

Michael Roberts, who lives in Texas, partnered up with his father in a real estate venture so they communicated almost daily.

“I always checked with him on matters of importance,” Michael Roberts said. He remembers how his father once bought a boat and the deal was sealed with a handshake.

“You could count on him. It’s really hard to see that anymore,” Michael Roberts said.

Roberts not only interacted with the community through his businesses and memberships on different professional boards, but also through his involvement in several fraternal organizations, including the Rotary Club, the Masonic Lodge and the El-Katif Shrine.

“We would laugh hysterically when he put on his Shriners cap,” recalls his daughter.

His membership in the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Spokane Club spanned almost 50 years. He also was well known for his contributions to different causes such as the Boy Scouts and youth baseball.

“He had a great compassion for people,” Beverly Roberts said. “He did a lot of things that people don’t know about to help people.”

Williams wasn’t just generous with big things. If he saw someone struggling to open the door at a Laundromat, he would get it for them and help them carry their load. If he was standing in line at the grocery store and someone was short of cash, he’d make up the difference.

“He never asked anything in return. He just wanted people to be honest,” Turnley said.

His love for his family always shone through. His children considered him their best friend.

“Being a friend, we could talk about almost anything,” Michael Roberts said.

“One of the last things he said is that ‘I’m going to miss you guys so much,’ ” Turnley said. “He’d always come and give us a hug …There was never a time when I couldn’t call my dad and say ‘this is what I need.’ “

Roberts spent a lot of time with his family at their cabin at Lake Coeur d’Alene’s Rockford Bay. Many summers were shared swimming, driftwood hunting and boating.

“He was just like a kid with us,” Turnley said.

He also loved to play golf, his wife said, and went out every week with his golfing buddies for almost 30 years.

“He missed that a lot when he became sick,” Beverly Roberts said.

He loved football and was a big fan of the Mariners and the Seahawks, Turnley said.

“We would call each other during games,” Turnley said.

Each year he would take his wife to Hawaii for six weeks, where they visited friends and went fishing and golfing.

Joan Roberts said her father hardly ever lost his cool.

“When he did you had really done something bad,” she said. He father drove her to school everyday when she was younger. “In those 15 minutes (of the drive) we covered a lot of life lessons.”

He played a big role in his grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s lives as well. He took care of them, traveled with them and helped educate some of them, Beverly Roberts said.

“There was a point in my life when my grandfather stepped in and played that father figure,” said Tim Putnam, whose parents got divorced when he was young. “I feel very fortunate that my children were able to get to know the man who had such an influence on my life.”

“One thing that runs through his life was his sociability,” Michael Roberts said. “People loved to be around my father.”