Lionel Roberts

CHELSEA—Lionel "Bill" Roberts, 99, a life-long resident of Chelsea, died Saturday, Nov. 4, 2006 at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph.

He was born April 29, 1907 at home on Beacon Hill in Chelsea, the son of Florence (Sargent) and Roy Roberts. He attended Chelsea schools and at the age of 14 traveled across the country to California with his family, where he worked on the Ed Burbank ranch. He made two more trips across the country working in Chino, Calif., for the ice company, and working on construction in the Mojave Desert with his Model T dump truck.

After returning to Chelsea, he began dairy farming on Beacon Hill and continued this until the early 1960s, when he sold his cows and worked for the Sprague Electric Company in Barre for two years. He also worked at HEB Mfg. Co. in Chelsea for a short time, before going to work for the Chelsea Public School as a school bus driver, and continued this job for over 20 years. During these years, he also raised and trained palomino, Morgan, and Arabian hackney horses. He was well known as a horse trainer throughout the area and trained many horses for others.

On August 12, 1938, he married Eleanor Nichols of Chelsea and they lived on Beacon Hill all of their married life. She died Feb. 16, 2001.

Survivors include his daughter Bonnie Roberts Kennedy, her husband Neil, and their three children, Ryan, Michael, and Robyn Kennedy; a sister-in-law, Amy Button, all of Chelsea; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, parents, and three sisters, Hilda Roberts, Kathleen Nichols, and Maxine Gates.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, Nov. 12, at 2:30 p.m. at the United Church of Chelsea. Burial will follow in the Highland Cemetery, also in Chelsea. Fellowship will be held in the church vestry immediately following the services.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Branch Ambulance Service, PO Box 74, Chelsea, Vt., 05038; or to the Chelsea Historical Society, in care of Ernest Kennedy, PO Box 94, Chelsea, Vt., 05038.

The Boardway & Cilley Funeral Home in Chelsea is in charge of arrangements.

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