Jeane M. Roberts died peacefully Sunday, December 18, 2022. For almost 97 years she set out to make the world a better place. Her life was filled with family, friends, and community service. Through her welcoming nature and leadership in community activities and spiritual life, she left her mark upon the world.

The daughter of Eugene and Celia Morgenthal, Jeane was born in 1926 and grew up in Riverdale, New York, with her older brothers James and Nathaniel. She earned a BA from Bucknell University, where she met her future husband, W. Nelson “Skip” Roberts. After securing a place to live and employment, they married in August of 1947. Living in Newtown since 1956, they were blessed with five children during their marriage of 67 years.

While in her 20s, you might have heard Jeane on the radio as “Peggy Parks,” the host of Howland’s Department Store’s “Lucky Lady” radio show. Jeane occasionally worked as a substitute teacher before having children. As her children grew, Jeane was involved in American Field Service, Girl Scouts, and Newtown Band Parents. She believed in community involvement and served on the Newtown Board of Education (1968 to 1977), vice chairman, 1975 to 1977 — was instrumental in securing the well-known music and arts programs; Cyrenius H. Booth Library Board Trustee (1981 to 1992); Newtown Commission on Aging; Board of Directors, Nunnawauk Housing for the Elderly; a member of the Republican Town Committee; member of Bridgeport chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW) (program vice-president 1989 to 1992, administrative vice president 1992); Church Women United, Newtown (president beginning in 1984); and Church Women United, Connecticut (regional representative beginning in 1988).

Jeane went back to school to earn a MA from Western Connecticut State University (1977). She worked as the therapeutic recreation director for Buckingham Gardens/Ashlar of Newtown/Masonic Care (1972 to 1983), mentoring others in this field. After retiring as recreation director, she became a therapeutic recreation trainer for SAGE Services, of the Connecticut State Department of Health, and helped to create the Area Agency on Aging. Jeane developed a money management counseling program for frail and elderly clients, and finished her career as an education consultant for families with elderly relatives.

Spiritual life was important to Jeane. Her faith was strong; often telling those who would listen: “It’s heavy-duty prayer time!” She was a member of the Newtown Congregational Church for more than 65 years, teaching Sunday school and serving as a Deacon. Jeane served as Church Moderator during a strategic planning time when NCC built a new building on the old Nettleton property, and established a non-profit organization to ensure proper management and operations of one of Newtown’s most historic buildings, the Newtown Meeting House. Jeane and Skip believed in helping others and often drove those in need through connecting with FISH. (Friends in Service Here).

Jeane enjoyed hosting friends and family in her home, for bridge, Bible study, and planning summer gatherings to reunite with relatives from near and far. Jeane and Skip were very welcoming to all their children’s friends. They often said: “always being around younger people helps to keep us young.”

Jeane and Skip loved to travel, visiting Germany (Newtown Band Chaperones), the Middle East, China, Australia (People to People International), and many of the United States’ states, especially where their children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends lived. To celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, they traveled with their children and grandchildren to Hawaii. For Skip’s 70th birthday, they returned to the Aleutian Islands where Skip was stationed during World War II. For their 60th anniversary, an even larger family gathering cruised together along the New England and eastern Canadian coast. For their 65th wedding anniversary, the extended family traveled to Newtown to celebrate together at the Dana-Holcombe House.

Jeane is survived by her sister-in-law, Gertrude Lindemann; her children, Carole Tripp (Roger), Keith Roberts (Sherie), K. Lee Tirpak (Doug), Constance Roberts, and Christopher Roberts (Laura); her grandchildren, Jon Tripp (Margaret), Kimberly Tripp, Benjamin Tripp (Marcy), Sean Albee (Kate), Carolyn Roberts, and Matthew Roberts (Katerina); six great grandchildren, Kathryn Tripp, Jackson and Aria Tripp, Lyla, Mia, and Ella Albee; three nieces, Deborah Morgenthal, Paige Morgenthal, and Susan Bailey; and two nephews, Paul Morgenthal, and Gary Lindemann.

Her beautiful smile and gracious spirit will be sadly missed.

A memorial service to celebrate Jeane’s life will be held on Friday, January 27, 2023, at 2 pm, at the Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, Newtown, with a reception immediately following. In the event of severe weather, the service will be held on the following Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (same time and place). Please call the NCC Church office at 203-426-9024 for further details.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Roberts Family Scholarship at Bucknell University.