Heyward Bradford Roberts Jr.

Heyward Bradford Roberts, Jr., Maj., U.S. Air Force (Ret.) passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 24, at his home in Chapel Hill, NC with Peggy, his wife of 68 years, by his side. In addition to Peggy, he is survived by daughter Mary Ellen Gabriel (Rick Gabriel), daughter Katherine Roberts (David Welch, 1971-2016), and son Charles Roberts, along with grandchildren Bennett and Hugh Gabriel and Serena and Daniel Welch. Survivors also include his sister-in-law Marty Roberts and her family. He was preceded in death by his brother, Col. Thomas Duvall Roberts II, U.S. Army (1937-2017), and son-in-law David. Heyward was a gentle soul with a clear moral compass, faith in God and a strong sense of duty to family and country.

Born on February 3, 1934 in Oswego, NY to Anne Dwyer Roberts (1914-1984) and Heyward Bradford Roberts (1902-1978), Heyward’s first two years were spent at Fort Ontario, NY, where his father, a career Army officer, was stationed. Thereafter, he moved with his family to posts around the country, including Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, Fort Meade in Maryland, Fort McClellan in Alabama, Henry Barracks in Puerto Rico, Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and others.

Heyward graduated from the Sewanee Military Academy in Sewanee, TN in 1953, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of the South, also in Sewanee, in 1957. He served active duty in the United States Air Force from April 29, 1958 through July 31, 1979, including missions in Korea and Vietnam and assignments in Goose Bay, Labrador, Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, Hickam Air Force Base, HI, Blacksburg, VA (where he was chief of education and training for Virginia Tech’s ROTC program), Webb Air Force Base, TX (chief of the transportation division), and McGuire Air Force Base, NJ (logistic liaison officer). Upon his retirement from the Air Force, he served as junior ROTC instructor at Parkersburg South High School in Parkersburg, WV until full retirement in July 1996.

Heyward met the love of his life, Peggy Lucille House, when the two were still in high school. She went with friends to the dance at Sewanee Military Academy one evening and met “a very handsome boy,” as she told her mother. They married on December 22, 1957, and together encountered all the challenges, joys and adventures of military life. Heyward and Peggy were united in everything they did, from moving overseas, to celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary by dancing to “The Old Blue Bonnett,” to relocating to Chapel Hill during their golden years.

His family will miss Heyward’s whimsical humor, his sweet smile and his voice that often had a note of wonder in it. He never stopped noticing and appreciating the world around him. He was a wonderful storyteller with almost perfect recall of every place he lived and many events from his childhood. We mourn his passing and were blessed to have him in our lives.