Roberta LaBelle Wells Melsha

ROBERTA LABELLE WELLS MELSHA Keizer, Ore. Roberta LaBelle Wells Melsha, 74, of Keizer, Ore., formerly of Cedar Rapids, was born to Garold and Frances Wells on Aug. 24, 1946, in Monticello, Iowa. Roberta passed away on Sept. 18, 2020, in Portland, Ore. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, at the Keizer Funeral Chapel in Keizer. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at the Czech National Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those attending the graveside services are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. Papich-Kuba Funeral Service is handling local arrangements. Roberta graduated from Washington High School, Cedar Rapids, in 1964. She married James Allen Melsha on July 31, 1965, at Calvary Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids, and they recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Roberta and James moved to Keizer, Ore., where she worked in the bakery for Albertson's Grocery Stores for 25 years. Roberta had many interests, which included knitting, baking, cooking, reading and traveling. Her passions were her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her three dogs, Kitty, Sandy and Fredie. Roberta was known for her caring and generous heart, and she showed her family the true meaning of love. Roberta always said, "Someday I will walk again." Roberta is survived by her husband, James Melsha; daughters, Jennifer Berry (Robert) of Salem, Ore., and Tonia Brechtel (Michael), also of Salem; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sisters, Rosalee (Terry) Petersen, Patricia (Lyle) Theisen, Susan Whitfield and Jayne (Gary) Williams; stepsisters, Marcia (Roger) Boyles and Sue (Jerry) Flickenger; stepbrothers, Randy (Linda) Wells and Steven (Deb) Wells; sister-in-law, Mary Wells; and many, many nieces and nephews. Roberta was preceded in death by her mother, Frances Roberta Barlow Wells; father, Garold William Wells; stepmother, Joyce Marie Wells; sister, Karrie Wells; and brothers, William Thomas Wells and Frank Eugene Wells.