Carolyn Spear Roberts

ROBERTS, Carolyn Spear, 72, PRESQUE ISLE, at Brewer, February 24, 2013. Interment will take place in the spring at The Presque Isle Community Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle.

    PRESQUE ISLE – Carolyn Spear Roberts, age 72, died February 24, 2013, at her daughter, Debbie and son-in-law, Tom Demaso’s home in Brewer, ME, with her loving family at her bedside. She was one of two daughters of Forrest and Katherine (Reed) Spear. Her death came after nearly a year-long and courageous battle with cancer. She tried all of the options available to her to overcome the disease, but to no avail.
    Carolyn obtained her education in the Camden school system where she graduated from high school then attended the University of Maine at Orono for two years. It was there she met her husband, Theodore A. Roberts and married him on June 18, 1961. As of June this year, she would have celebrated her 52nd anniversary to Ted. Later in life, while residing and working in Presque Isle, she took many courses at the University of Maine at Presque Isle to obtain her bachelor of science degree in business administration.  Coincidentally, she had a class with her daughter, Debbie, who also was a student there at the time.
    She enjoyed the many locations she resided during her lifetime, be it for a few months or the 40-years where she lived at 122 Canterbury St., Presque Isle, and raised her beloved family. While residing there, she was employed by Wright Pierce Consulting Engineers at their Caribou branch as their office administrative assistant. She was most recognized for her 30-years of employment, the majority of which was as the Payroll Plus Personnel Specialist at Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) where she was responsible for the payroll, etc. for 100 to 150 individuals each week. She was a dedicated wife and was willing to follow her loving husband to all parts of the country for the employment required to provide for their family. Those various included Buffalo, NY, Painted Post, NY, Phillipsburg, NJ, Ft. Sill, OK, Ft. Carson, CO, Philadelphia, PA, Island Falls, and finally in Presque Isle for the final 40-years of her life.
    She loved her weekends at Camp – To – Come – To at Pleasant Lake in Island Falls, where she spent every spare moment playing games with the family, reading, fishing, listening to the loons and watching sunsets with her husband. She was an experienced snowsledder having ridden and owned her own snow sled for more than 40-years. She had been a member of the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club, Inc., along with her family, for 40-years, and served as its secretary for a number of years.
    Carolyn has been a member of The Whittier Congregational Church in Presque Isle for 40-years and was a former member of Eastern Star when she lived in Island Falls. She enjoyed skiing and taught all of her children how to ski using the local rope ski tow when the family lived in Island Falls.
    Carolyn is survived by her husband, Theodore A. Roberts of Presque Isle for more than 51-years; son, Charles and his wife, Sheryl and daughter, Kylee of Holden, and their daughter, Lacey Roberts of  Anchorage, AK; son, Philip Roberts and his wife, Dawn of Presque Isle, their daughter, Katherine Roberts and her fiancé, Kord Putnam of Washburn; daughter, Deborah and her husband, Thomas Demaso and their children, Joshua and Brianna of Brewer. Carolyn was blessed with a total of five precious grandchildren that she thought the world of. Carolyn had a sister, Julia Payne, the former wife of the Rev. Bradford Payne, who predeceased her in 1996. She continued a close relationship with her nieces, nephews, their spouses and their children, including her brother-in-law, Bradford Payne, known fondly in our family circle as the “Lincolnville Crew”. Carolyn also leaves her in-laws, Judson and Eula Roberts of Augusta, Mary Roberts and her family, in Texas, a special thanks to her sister-in-law, Margaret Gerow and her husband, Wallace Gerow of Dade City, FL. She will also be fondly remembered by all of her nieces and nephews as well as their children on her in-law side of her family.
    Carolyn and Ted give special thanks to their camp neighbors, Dean and Jane Fitzgerald of Millinocket for their love and support over the years, especially during Carolyn’s period of illness. A special thanks from Carolyn’s family also goes to Dr. Biswas and his family for their love and support during her year of illness. Ted, her husband, being one of the a co-care givers during Carolyn’s illness, extends the family’s gratitude to their daughter, Deborah Demaso, for the tender love and care that only a daughter can give her mother. He also extends the family’s appreciation to her husband, Tom for all he has done to make Carolyn comfortable while at their home during the many months of treatment.
    Friends and family gathered to remember and celebrate Carolyn’s life on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, 30 Church St., Presque Isle, where a memorial service was held at 1 p.m., with the Rev. Bradford Payne of Lincolnville officiating. Refreshment was available in the adjoining hospitality room following the service. Interment will take place in the spring at The Fairmount Cemetery. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Eastern Maine Medical Center, Cancer Care Center of Maine (CCOM), Lafayette Family Cancer Center, 33 Whiting Hill Rd., Brewer, ME 04412, for the funding of the Pediatric Oncology Construction Project. Condolences may be expressed online at www.duncan-graves.com.