Esther Donovan Roberts

Esther D. Roberts, age 87 from Roanoke, Virginia, fell asleep in death on September 21, 2021.

Esther was born on February 18, 1934, in Naugatuck, Connecticut. She is preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Anna (Vilius) Donavan, as well as her beloved brother James Donovan. She was married to Donald J. Roberts for 47 years at the time of his death in 2005.

Esther was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the age of 7 in St. Louis, MO. As a result of the pandemic, in-person meetings stopped at the Kingdom Hall where she attended, but Esther mastered the use of Zoom so that she could continue to participate in the weekly Bible studies and witnessing groups. It was through her study of the Bible, that Esther learned about, and treasured the hope of living forever on earth at a time when there would be no more sickness, old-age or death, a hope that she shared with others in the community through regular letter writing.

At the time of her death, Esther had no living family. However, throughout her years, she acquired many friends who viewed her as their sister, mother, and grandmother. She was particularly fond of, and grateful for Shannon Helton who assisted her around the home, allowing her to stay independent, something that was so important to her as she aged. She was loved by Stephanie and Arch Montgomery, who considered her part of their family and included her in spiritual, social, and family activities. She referred to Frieda Jackson as her main confidant who would always make her laugh. Her friends Elaine Anderson and Audrey Fredric were known to keep her active and entertained. Esther’s cat Kirby was her best friend for 18 years and was never far from her side or her lap.

Esther was a graduate of the Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City and subsequently worked at Bellevue hospital, and later at a hospital in Panama City, Panama. Along with her husband Donald, she lived and traveled to various countries and became conversant in multiple languages. Esther enjoyed painting, college basketball and ice cream. She will be remembered for her kindness and generosity to her friends and animals.

As a former nurse, and especially during these stressful times, it would be important for Esther to know that her friends extended a very special thank you to the staff at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, particularly those in the palliative care unit for their kindness and care during her final days.

At Esther’s request, there will be no visitation. A virtual memorial service will held on Sunday, September 26th, 2021, at 2:00 pm. For those needing the Zoom link, you may contact Arch Montgomery at archmont54@gmail.com