Roberta Lee Barnett

Roberta Lee Ellison Barnett was born to the late Robert Major and Grace Likes Ellison on January 4, 1938, in Rural Bluffs, Illinois (often referred to as Naples Lane) and died February 21, 2022, in Gilbert, Arizona at the age of 84. Roberta attended Oxville School for early elementary and then to Bluffs School to begin her 6th grade year. She graduated as valedictorian of Bluffs High School Class of 1956. Roberta attended Colorado State University and graduated from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (Truman State University) in 1960 with a degree in Domestic Science (Home Economics). She began her teaching career in Kansas City, Missouri at Northeast Junior High, where she taught for two years. She continued her teaching career at Windsor High School in Windsor, Missouri for the next five years. Roberta then relocated back to Bluffs, Illinois (rural area) and taught elementary school for the next 33 years. In her 40 years of teaching, it is estimated she had an impact on an estimated 1,000 students. She was truly an educator at heart. Roberta was blessed with a loving family and friends. She married her best friend and fellow classmate since the 6th grade, Fred Barnett on August 21, 1961, in Jacksonville, Illinois. Roberta helped raise two children: Michael and Melissa, with patience, humility, and lots of love. Roberta enjoyed reading, writing, doing crafts, and taking long family trips to see the natural beauty of every state in the USA. There was not a butterfly or US Flag she did not love. She was kind and soft spoken. She always made time to listen to every story or problem you wanted to share no matter how big or small. She will be dearly missed by her loved ones. Roberta is survived by her husband Fred, son and daughter-in-law Michael and Kathleen Barnett, daughter Melissa Barnett-Carr, and grandchildren Steven and Samuel Barnett and Myles and Malia Carr. A funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 26, 2022, at the Daws Family Funeral Home in Bluffs with interment at Hilcrest Cemetery in Bluffs. A visitation will be held Friday, March 25, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Hillcrest Cemetery.

Roberta Lee Barnett

January 4, 1938 - February 21, 2022