Thomas L. Roberts

Thomas L. Roberts, age 71, of Lawrence Park Twp., passed away unexpectedly, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, following a brief illness. He was born in Philipsburg, PA on August 22, 1951, the son of Laura H. (Hopkins) Roberts of Erie and the late Lee D. Roberts.
Tom was a 1969 graduate of Iroquois High School and a 1973 graduate of Gannon (College) University. In 1978, Tom received his CPA certification and went on to become a partner with Kramer, Smith & Bish (1979-2014). Since 2014 he has been a practicing CPA with Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh & Co., leaving behind a distinguished career of 45 years.
A family man first and foremost, Tom at times could be misunderstood as grumpy, even being fondly called "Grumps" by some of his grandchildren. In truth, he cherished nothing more than being a husband to his wife of 48 years, a father to five children, a grandpa to twelve grandchildren, and great-grandpa to one precious little girl. If Tom was known for anything else, it was for his many years of selfless dedication to local youth and sporting programs. Known as "The Voice," Tom announced all Iroquois football games for 24 years, and he was also instrumental in the founding of the Iroquois All Sports Boosters; having served as treasurer for over 20 years. In addition, Tom served as the coordinator of well over 30 "Meet the Braves" alumni basketball games, as well as operating the scoreboard and announcing many varsity volleyball and soccer matches.
As anyone who knows Tom can tell you, the baseball diamond was nearest and dearest to his heart. During his lifetime, he invested countless hours in the youth of his community as a Little League coach for over 50 years. He also served as District 1 Administrator of the Little League for over 20 years. Additionally, Tom founded the Wesleyville Mayor's Cup in 1983 to give area kids the opportunity to extend their baseball season, regardless of making an all-star team or not. In doing so, Tom's Mayor's Cup has provided thousands of kids the chance to play extra baseball simply for the love of the game. Besides his passion for Little League Baseball, he also loved the many years he spent coaching on the Iroquois softball field.
Always a community minded individual, Tom served on the Parks and Recreation Board of Lawrence Park, as well as the Wesleyville Borough Council. In service to his community, he also served with the Better Homes of Erie. In recognition of his many years of youth, sporting, and community volunteerism, Tom was the recipient of the following awards: 2001 PA Little League District 1 North Dedication and Appreciation Award, 2015 ECBU Baseball Person of the Year Award, 2000 Lawrence Park Recreation Person of the Year, 2003 District 3 Girls Softball Champ, 1993 Brave of the Year, and the 2018 Wesleyville-Iroquois-Lawrence Park John Post Award.
In addition to his father, Tom was preceded in death by his in-laws, Donald and Mary Lou Rosanske; and one brother-in-law, Stephen Orzechowski.
Besides his mother, survivors include his wife, Sandra K. (Rosanske) Roberts; five children: Staci Robson, Scott Roberts (Rebecca), Stephanie Tucker (Sean), Suzanne Bresee (Matthew), and Shelle Elzer (Shane); one brother, Ricky Roberts; three sisters: Bonnie Roberts, Cathi Pawlik, and Pamela Orzechowski; 12 grandchildren: Lindsey, Kyle, Katelyn, Logan, Samantha, Sarah, Paige, Shamus, Reese, Claire, Kenlee, and Brady; one great-granddaughter, Brynlee; and several sister and brothers in-law, nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are warmly invited to call at the Dusckas-Taylor Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 5151 Buffalo Rd. (at Hannon Rd. in Harborcreek Twp.), on Friday, May 5th from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Service to be conducted there at 12:00 p.m. by the Rev. Msgr. David A. Rubino. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to continue Tom's remarkable legacy may be made to the Tom Roberts Memorial Scholarship, c/o Erie Community Foundation, 459 W. 6th St., Erie, PA 16507.