Roberta N. Mather

Roberta N. Mather, 95, of Humboldt passed away Friday, July 26, 2019, at South Care Center in Humboldt, Iowa.
Roberta Nell Caruth was born May 1, 1924, in Ellsworth, Iowa, the daughter of Charles and Frances (Hawks) Caruth. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1941. Roberta married Richard (Dick) Mather December 4, 1955, at the Methodist Church in Storm Lake, Iowa and instantly became the mother to Dick’s four young children. In 1956 and 1958, two additional children were born. Roberta worked in the early 1940’s at the Methodist Publishing House in Chicago and during the later 1940’s for the Montgomery Ward Farm Stores in Webster City, Iowa and in
Columbus, Nebraska. During the early 1950’s Roberta worked in the Montgomery Ward Service Department in Fort Dodge, Iowa. It was there that she was introduced by mutual friends to widower, Richard Mather. Roberta and Dick farmed west of Humboldt where they raised and milked Holsteins. In 1966, she became the full-time custodian for the Humboldt United Methodist Church until her retirement in 1986. Roberta had a passion for serving those in need. She gladly transported friends and relatives to appointments and made church mission trips to Costa Rica, Kentucky and New Mexico. Roberta was a beloved “second mom” to many friends, namely, Brazilian exchange student Roberta Medeiros, neighbor girl Susan Dierkson Collins and most recently, Cindy Westfall Pratico.
Roberta loved music, sewing, gardening, crafting and traveling. She was known for her salads, crazy cakes, and especially her chocolate chip cookies. She was a faithful member of Faith United Methodist Church, the Mary Circle, UMW and was a long-time member of the Unique Homemakers neighborhood club. Roberta is survived by her six children, Merlin (Diane) Mather of Bloomington, IL; Dennis Mather, Des Moines, IA; James (Barb) Mather of Johnston, IA; Jan (Orin) Harris of Forest City, IA; Kristine (Tracy) Mather-McRae of Peralta NM; Kathy Mather of Coralville, IA and grandchildren, Martin Mather, Marianne (Brian) Morgan, John Mather, Jeff (Lisa) Mather, Trisha Mather, Elizabeth (Greg) Johnson, Stephanie (Eric) Harris-Toot, Tamara (Michael Shewmaker) Harris, Bradley Harris, and Jacob Mather. Her great-grandchildren are River Morgan, Tryslyn (John) Enns, Julia and Charles Johnson, Anna and Clara Toot, Louise Harris-Shewmaker, special family friend, Cindy Pratico of Humboldt, IA and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Richard, in 1981; brothers, David, Donald and Wally Caruth, sister, Mary Be (Everett) Tolstrup and a granddaughter, Melissa Mather. Roberta will be missed very much by all who knew and loved her.
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