Jack Oran Roberts, 85, went to be with God on Sunday, June 11, 2023 in McKinney, Texas. He was born on September 20, 1937 in Oklahoma City. He grew up there and attended Cleveland Elementary, Taft Junior High, and Classen High School. After high school he attended Oklahoma University where he graduated with his Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Jack attended college on a full ride scholarship in baseball where he played as the shortstop and served as captain of the team senior year. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in which he made many lifelong friends. After college he went to work for Jones & Laughlin Steele Corporation in Casper Wyoming. After Wyoming he was transferred to Louisiana and eventually ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he met and married his wife, Nancy Walker. Not long after that, Jack went to work for the Xerox Corporation and worked in Dallas,Texas. Finally, he changed careers and signed on as general manager of A&B automotive in Oklahoma City, working there until retirement. He and his wife,Nancy, lived in Edmond where they raised their daughter and son. Jack loved all kinds of sports and after college he played softball, tennis and golf. He was an avid fan of OU football and all OU sports as well as OKC Thunder basketball team. He was a member of Oak Tree Country Club and The Greens Racquet Club, and past president of the Edmond Tennis Association. He did volunteer work for Feed The Children and Habitat for Humanity. He is preceded in death by his parents Jim and Anna Roberts; and his wife, Nancy Walker Roberts. He is survived by daughter Leslie Roberts Barrett (Joe), son Jay Kent Roberts, two granddaughters, Brooke Barrett O’Donnell (Kevin) and Bailey Barrett, two great grandsons, Kieran and Kallen O’Donnell, and one more great grandson due July 5th. Jack was a loving, generous father and grandfather, who had many lifelong friends, he will be missed by all who knew him. Funeral services will be held in Edmond, Oklahoma; date and time to be determined.
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One of the benefits of marrying into this family 30+ years ago was the chance to meet Jack Roberts. What a wonderful man. Over the years, we played tennis, golfed, enjoyed good wine, home and home visits, more than a few laughs and chuckles. We even had a bet on an Oklahoma at Oregon football game. The Ducks won at the end on a controversial call (still debated today), and two weeks later, the $1 bill showed up (It wasn’t the money…it was about the win.). “The scoreboard said one thing, so here’s the $1, but it sure doesn’t feel right!” We never did chuckle about that one. I’m so sorry that he’s gone, but so very glad that he was part of my life over the years. RIP Sir. And thank you.