Claire Blanche Roberts
Claire Blanche Roberts, formerly Giles, went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 22, 2019, at the age of 101. A resident of Bickford of Presque Isle Bay, Erie, Claire lived in Beaver for most of her married life. She also spent many winters enjoying the beach with her friends and family in Fort Myers, Fla.
Born February 28, 1918, to the late James and Blanche Taylor Giles, Claire was an active member of Brighton Township Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, the Christian Women’s Society and the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation. She delighted in keeping up with family news involving her four children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, as well as her extended family including many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and many other loved ones. Claire’s interests included a love for bingo, the Roberts’ version of marbles, a good card game, crosswords and other puzzles and brain teasers. She was an expert in fine needlework, loved to crochet and was an avid and lifelong reader. Most of all, Claire had a zest for life and was endlessly thrilled by its simple pleasures, loved to learn new things and accepted everyone she met without judgment or criticism.
In addition to her parents, Claire was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Ewing Cole Roberts in 1994, her sister Edith Kochman and brother James Giles.
Claire is survived by her children, Judy (David) Lipsitz of Erie, James Donovan Roberts of Waynesburg, Linda Kay (Philip) Bulgach of Apple Valley, Minn., and Richard Ewing (Diana) Roberts of Greensburg; grandchildren Susan Lipsitz, Jay (Lori) Lipsitz, Nicholas (Ashley) Roberts, Elizabeth (Travis) Elms, Kenneth (Heather) Roberts, Rachel and Adam Bulgach, Megan (Adam) Gretz, Natalie Roberts and Ashley (Bill) Velez; and great-grandchildren Emily and Daniel Schwartz, Will and Jack Lipsitz, Claire and Graham Roberts, Isabella, Aiden and Julianna Elms and Meadow Velez.
A gathering for family and friends will be held from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, in Noll Funeral Home, Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver, PA 15009. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 26, in Pine Bank United Methodist Church, Pine Bank, with interment following. Condolences may be shared at nollfuneral.com.
The staff of Bickford, Sunrise Senior Living and Great Lakes Hospice provided loving care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Claire’s name may be made to the Lakewood United Methodist Church, 3856 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16505 or Beaver United Methodist Church, 345 College Avenue, Beaver, PA 15009.