Rochelle

Edmund Leo Roberts, 80, passed away Saturday, June 14, 2025 at his home in Rochelle, Illinois.  Ed was born on December 28, 1944 in Rock Island, IL. His adoptive parents were Leo P. and Irene N. (North) Roberts.  On November 8, 1969, he married Margaret Stokes in El Paso, IL.

Ed was a graduate of El Paso Illinois High School and Illinois State University.

Ed had many careers over his lifetime.  From 1968 - 1973, he was a Supervisor of Assessments for Woodford County in Eureka, IL. From 1973 - 1975, he was the Executive Director for the Tri-County Tax Research Department of Peoria County. Then from 1975 to 1982, he was an Agricultural Loan Officer for Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. From 1982 to 1992, he was a Field Representative and Agricultural Investment Analyst for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. Finally, from 1992 to his retirement, he was a practicing member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in Northern Illinois.

Ed was civic minded and very involved in the local community.  From 1990 to 2008, he was the Chairman of the City of Rochelle Planning Commission.  From 1993 to 2000, he was the Chairman, Vice chairman and Treasurer of the Rochelle Community Hospital Board of Trustees. From 1994 to the present, he was involved with the Rochelle Kiwanis Club where he served as a president and vice-president.  From 2000 to 2007, he was president of the Rochelle Community Hospital Foundation.  After his term as president, he became the vice-president of the Rochelle Community Hospital Foundation in 2007.  He was also a Scoutmaster for several years, taking his troop on the 20 mile Lincoln Trail Hike which retraces Abraham Lincoln's journey from New Salem, IL to Springfield, IL.

In his retirement, Ed was able to travel to all of the Canadian provinces, and all of the United States with the exception of Alaska. Ed's camera was never far from him in his travels. He enjoyed the complexities of framing, composition and the result of the unique creative process of the single lens reflex camera. It has been said that Ed "never met a stranger". His final project was to walk all of the streets of Rochelle. He was thwarted in the completion of that endeavor by the onset of Parkinson's Disease.

Ed was a life-long student of history and read voraciously on that subject among many others. He was an animal lover and avid horseman until the passing of his last horse, Piper.

Ed is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret of Rochelle; son, David (Nadia) Roberts, two grandchildren: Gabriel and Luciana; daughter, Catherine Roberts all of Chicago, IL.

He was preceded in death by his birth mother, Gladys Justus, adoptive parents and biological half-siblings: Betty Lee Little, Betty Lou Thibodeaux, Robert Harden, Richard Harden, and Barbara Spaulding.

The only half sibling he was able to meet was Richard, later in life. They built a special bond over the last few years.

The visitation will be from 4:00 - 7:00 P.M., Monday, July 7, 2025 at the Unger-Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. 6th St., Rochelle.  Cremation care will follow the visitation.  Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery in El Paso, IL at a later date.  Memorials may be made in Ed's memory to the Parkinson's Foundation.  Visit www.ungerhorner.com to sign the online guest book.