Audrey Mae Roberts

Audrey Mae Roberts, 70, died Dec. 23, 2012, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer after a three-year battle with thyroid cancer.

Pastor Bob Tornquist will officiate at a service at 1 p.m., Jan. 5 at the Palmer Church of God, Mile 40, Glenn Highway, across from the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer.

Audrey was born March 23, 1942, in Muskegan Heights, Mich. She graduated from Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, N.M. She went to Warner Pacific College in Portland, Ore.

Audrey was born in Michigan and grew up in New Mexico. After marrying Richard, they lived in Carson City, Nev., and Mount Vernon, Wash., before moving to Alaska in 1973.

She worked for Kattak Plumbing and Heating from June 1983 to December 1996; at the Mat-Su Borough School District as a substitute teacher from 1979 to 1985; and for the U.S. Postal Service in Carson City, Nev., part-time from 1964-66.

Audrey was a very active member of the Palmer Church of God. She was a counselor, director and in charge of the Snack Shack at Camp Challenge Ministries. She was a 4-H Club project leader and a 4-H resource leader. She was active on the local leaders advisory board, state 4-H leaders council and for several years served as a 4-H Expo Building Superintendent at the Alaska State Fair.

Her hobbies included gardening, crafts, sewing, camping, fishing, hunting, photography and spending time with her grandchildren. Audrey loved her life in Alaska. She enjoyed camping in Tok, fireside chats at Camp Challenge and Christmas with family gathered around the Christmas tree. She is remembered as a kind, caring person who knew how to show people they were loved. Her hugs and warm joyful smile will be greatly missed.

Surviving are her husband of 49 years, Richard M. Roberts Sr. of Palmer; sons, Richard M. Roberts Jr. and his wife Karen of Anchorage, and Kit Roberts of Palmer; grandchildren, Mitchell Roberts of Anchorage and Nikayla Chambers of Palmer.

Audrey was the childcare provider for Nikayla since she was a few weeks old. Their relationship was so close that Audrey claims her as her granddaughter and Ron and Sonya Chambers as her kids. Though not biologically related, they were very close.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Audrey Roberts’ memorial at Wells Fargo Account No. 8635910188.

The family was taken care of by Legacy Kehl’s Palmer Chapel in Palmer.