Roberts

Captain Eddie Lee Roberts, 75, of Merritt Island, Fla., died on Monday, Nov. 25, 2013, at Wuesthoff Hospital in Cocoa, Fla.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Dec. 7, at First Baptist Church of Merritt Island, where he and his wife were members.

Born Dec. 19, 1937, in Cook County, he was raised in Colquitt County. He was the third child of seven children of the late Jewell and B. R. Roberts of Moultrie. He graduated from Moultrie High School and attended Georgia Tech., in Atlanta. He later received his Bachelor of Business Administration and Economics from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He was employed by Pan American World Airways at Patrick AFB and worked down range at Mayaquez, Puerto Rico and San Salvador, Bahama Islands. Later, he joined Martin Marietta Aerospace, now Lockheed Martin Corporation, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. He completed his career as manager of material operations and logistics, after 33 years service to the space program.

“Eddie had a deep love for ocean sport fishing. He started a charter business, with his son, Captain Derwood Roberts, out of Port Canaveral in 1973. He held a 100 ton USCG Masters Captain License from 1989 until 2009. He owned and operated the well known 48 foot Sport fisherman ‘Sea Venture’ for regular offshore and Bahama sport fishing trips. He formed the local Canaveral Charter Captains Association in 1999, which is active today and has some 40 Captains in membership. He loved coming home to visit his family. When visiting Moultrie in the spring time, he commented on the fact that he had forgotten how beautiful Moultrie was at this time of year. He made a point of coming home at every opportunity. He and his wife have a small home on the family farm. He also loved deer hunting and went every time he could, both in Colquitt County and North Carolina. He was the ‘glue’ for his brothers and sisters after his parents were deceased. He will be greatly missed by his family,” his family remembered and remarked of him.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law, Roy B. Baker.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, VeIl Dean Patrick Roberts; one son, Captain Derwood Roberts and wife Debbie of Merritt Island, Fla.; two grandchildren, Carter Robberts and Zoie Pettigrew; six brothers and sisters, Dorothy R. Baker of Titusville, Fla., Earl “Bud” Roberts and wife Shirley of Moultrie, Charles Roberts and wife Lillian Woodard Roberts of Cocoa, Fla., Wayne Roberts and wife Doris, Ann Roberts Conger and husband Roy and Linda Roberts Conger and husband Carrol, all of Moultrie; and several nieces and nephews.

The family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association or the Hospice Foundation of the Wuesthoff Hospital in Cocoa, Fla., or a charity of choice.

Please leave condolences to the family at www.moultrieobserver.com.