Robert E. Roberts

ROBERTS Robert E. Roberts DDS, PhD, MSW, of New Orleans passed away Oct. 14, 2013. He was the founder and Executive Director of Project Return of Louisiana, Inc., an internationally recognized prison reentry program aimed at effectively breaking cycles of crime. Born September 5, 1943, to Joe and Armenta Scott Roberts in Shreveport, Roberts graduated from C.E. Byrd H.S, '61. Undergraduate work at Louisiana Tech University led to graduation from Loyola University Dental School, '68. Dr. Roberts served in the U.S. Army Dental Corp in Bamberg, Germany, before returning to Shreveport/Bossier City to practice dentistry for 20-years. He was an active member of the Porsche Club of America and the Experimental Aircraft Association. He flew sailplanes and was an early member of the Shreveport Downtown Air Show Team. Later, he and friends from the Minnesota Men's Conference sang with the Bottom Feeders in New Orleans. He earned a MSW in '87 and a Ph.D. from LSU, '91. He was a clinical professor at Tulane Medical Center's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine when he founded Project Return. His beloved wife Rosemary Mumm, her mother Helen Mumm, of New Orleans, his parents Armenta and Joe, stepfather C. W. Hollenshead, of Shreveport, and sister Betty Gates and niece Vicki Hebert, Bossier City, precede Dr. Roberts in death. He is survived by sons and their families: Robert A., Melanie, Ashley, Grace, of Fairhope, AL; Jeff, Kathryn, Sofia, Wesley, Altadena, CA; Adam, Kathleen, Anna, Joshua, Batavia, IL; Lorey Flick and Joel Roberts, NYC. Brother, Scotty Roberts, wife Jan, Shaun and Greg of Destin, FL, Adrienne Roberts, Arlington, VA; Karen Hebert Bissell, Brandi and Taylor, Bossier City, also survive him. A celebration of life is planned in Congo Square, Louis Armstrong Park, New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 24, 3:00-5:00 pm, coordinated by Jamilah Peters-Mohammad and Luther Gray, 504-495-0463, babaluther@gmail.com. A gift to your favorite charity in lieu of flowers is preferred.