Obituary of John Desmond Roberts

Major John Desmond Roberts, Sr., (United States Army, Retired) of Ozark, died Friday, May 19, 2017, in Ozark Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was 93 years old. Funeral services will be 2:00 P. M. Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from the First United Methodist Church in Ozark with Reverend Mike Sigler and Reverend Dr. Billy D. Gaither officiating. Entombment will follow with Masonic Rites in Woodlawn Memory Gardens, Holman Funeral Home and Cremations of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends Tuesday in the church from 12:00 Noon until service time. Major Roberts was born January 2, 1924 in Avon Park, Florida to the late William and Etta Roberts. He served for twenty-two years in the United States Army until his retirement. He was with the first group of Army officers to reopen Camp Rucker in 1954. Following his retirement, he worked with the Alabama Beverage Control Board until his retirement there. Major Roberts was a Master Mason, receiving his fifty and sixty year pins. He served as Worshipful Master in the Claybank Masonic Lodge #908 in Ozark. Major Roberts was a Scottish Rite Shriner where he served as Night Commander of The Court of Honor. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ozark. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys Marie Dumazos Roberts. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Johnny and Christine Roberts and of Hesperia, California; four grandchildren, John Wade Roberts, Jeffrey Roberts, James Paul Roberts, and Jennifer Roberts Rodriguez; eleven great grandchildren, Amber Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Rodriguez, Eva Roberts, James Roberts, Luke Roberts, Violet Roberts, Brooke Roberts, Shaidon Roberts, Jason Englehart, and Amber Englehart. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ozark-Dale County Humane Society, P. O. Box 2502, Ozark, Alabama 36361. Service Information