Roberta Ford

Roberta Scott Ford ROTAN-Roberta Scott Ford, longtime educator and rancher, died Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Heritage House assisted living center in Rotan. She was 100 years old. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday March 31, 2012 at the First United Methodist Church in Roby with Rev. Sue Rowlett, a retired minister, and Rev. Bill Fitzgerald, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Roby. Interment will follow at the Newman Cemetery under the direction of Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home. Family visitation will be Friday evening from 7 to 8 at the Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home. Roberta was born September 4, 1911, in Sylvester, to Robert and Bessie Scott and spent much of her life in and near that ranching community. She taught for more than a half-century in schools in Sylvester, Plains, Winsboro, Trent, Sweetwater, and Roby. She earned a BBA degree at Texas Tech and a MS in education from East Texas State, now the Texas A&M-Commerce. She married Roy Elliott in 1933 and he died in 1952. She married A. J. Hill in 1959. He died in 1976. She married A. J. Blackie Ford in 1976 and he died in 1990. Roberta began a long teaching career at Sylvester while still attending college, a practice common to that era. Later, after her retirement from education, she returned to that community and, along with her husband A. J. Hill, engaged in ranching and oil production. Roberta was a lifetime member of Sylvester First United Methodist Church until it recently closed. At the time of her death she was a member of the First Methodist Church of Roby. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and held a lifetime membership in the Texas Retired Teachers Association. She is survived by a stepdaughter, Frances Pettit and her husband, Burle of Lubbock; a stepson, Charles Hill of Bulverde; a sister, Jolene Bracken of Sun City Center, Fla.; three step-grandchildren, Kevin Pettit of Axtell, Kyle Pettit of Lubbock and Scott Pettit of Boerne; six step-great-grandchildren; five nieces and nephews, Barbara Brasband, Richard Bracken, Susan Kimes, Joyce Talbott and Randy Scott; and eleven great-nieces and nephews. Roberta was preceded in death by her parents; three husbands; a stepson, Alton Hill; two sisters, Alice Laverne Scott and Celeste Scott; and a brother, Robert Scott. Roberta's competitive spirit saw her active throughout her lifetime, first at bridge, then 80 and, in her later years, Skipbo. A friend of hers once observed that Roberta hates to lose at anything and seldom does. Contributions may be made to the First Methodist Church of Roby or to a favorite charity. Online condolences may be to weathersbeerayfh.com.