Russell Roberts

It is with great sadness that I note the passing on January 21, 2022, of my beloved brother Russell Alexander Roberts. He is preceded by his mother Jewell Elizabeth Pollard, his father James Winfield Roberts, Jr. and his younger sister Mary Catherine Roberts and is survived by his older brother James Winfield Roberts III, his older sister Emily Ann Williams, his younger sister Margaret Elizabeth Santos and his younger brothers Richard Lawrence Roberts and Andrew Herbert Roberts and twenty-three nieces and nephews. Russell was born on June 14th, 1952 (Flag Day) in Washington DC and spent much of his early life in Frankfurt and Berlin Germany and Rome Italy returning to the Washington DC area in 1967. After high school Russell moved Strasburg Virginia where he renovated and re-opened Battlefield Crystal Caverns for commercial tourism. He later moved to Saint David’s Church in the Fort Valley area of Shenandoah County Virginia where to be more self-sufficient Russell had a small farm growing vegetables and raising livestock. He worked at a local camp for troubled youth, FLOC (For the Love of Children) where his gentle nature shined. After many years Russell came back to the Washington DC area and attended Montgomery College where he became a Radiologic Technician. He eventually progressed into the field of MRI moving to High Springs Florida and retiring in 2017. In his retirement he continued to serve in his community working with the local animal shelter and rehabilitating stray cats. Russell had a lifetime of service and love for life. He was an active outdoorsman and loved hiking, camping, rock climbing, caving and canoeing. Russell once remarked that on one occasion he had hiked into the woods and sat down against a tree for rest and fell asleep. When he awoke, the wildlife had come out and he just sat there watching the birds, animals and insects for several hours. He said that it was one of those special moments in life that is never forgotten. Russell will be missed and loved by all of those who knew him and all of the lives he touched in his works.