Dee Lavern Roberts

Dee LaVern Roberts

For nearly six decades, Dee Roberts has been a staple within the community and Kirksville R-III music program as the piano accompanist for choir and music classes.  But it was his passion and his knowledge for music that has left a strong impression on the Kirksville students and teachers he’s worked with during his long career. Dee passed away on June 4, 2021.

Dee was born in Columbia, MO on August 22, 1940, to DeVelda LaVern and Mary Naomi Silvey Roberts while LaVern was attending the University of Missouri.  They returned to Kirksville where Dee started taking piano lessons at age four.  He spent most of his life playing the piano at various schools, churches, weddings and funerals.

During his Kirksville school years, he gathered many honors including having a poem entitled “Light” published in the Anthology of High School Poetry while in Miss Virginia Swartz’s 9 ^th grade English class. In 1957, he attended Boy’s State and was elected to the city council and state senate plus was selected to give the prayer for the whole group.  He was President of the Student Council his senior year and graduated salutatorian in 1958 and would have tied for valedictorian but he got his first and only B grade in a Shorthand class.

He graduated with a BS in Education from the University of Missouri in 1961. He then earned a master’s degree From Truman State University in 1963 and later a Bachelor of Art degree in English in 1969 as well as a master’s in English.

He taught history and geography at Kirksville High School from 1963-1964.  From 1965-1966 he was an instructor in History at Mineral Area College in Flat River, MO. In 1966-1967 he taught freshman history at West Texas State University in Canyon, TX.

Dee was an avid bridge player and was a member of the Kirksville Duplicate Bridge League for many years. He achieved the Ruby Master Level in 2017.

From the early 1970s to mid-1980’s he spent twelve years as accompanist and assistant in choral music at Kirksville High School, was the rehearsal accompanist for musicals at what is now Truman State University. He was the organist at the First Baptist, First Presbyterian and Trinity Episcopal churches.

From the late 1980’s to 1998. Dee was the primary care giver for his aging parents.

Dee then became the full-time accompanist for the Kirksville Junior and Senior High School Music and Drama Departments until he retired in 2016. Rebecca Murphy, director of choirs for Kirksville High School described Dee “as a generous person, good-hearted, gentle and unassuming especially when working with students. Her nickname for Dee was “Google” because of the amount of knowledge he had on many different subjects, and he is a walking encyclopedia. Dee is a brilliant, brilliant man, probably one of the smartest men I know. Dee was Google before Google was invented.” When students would ask Murphy a question she would often say, “Why don’t you Google Dee.”

KHS drama and English teacher Denise Clark said, “He doesn’t just play music, he teaches the kids. “As a gesture of thanks for Dee Roberts’ service to the school district, a piece was commissioned in honor of Dee written by Rich McKinney, that was titled “Ode to the Champions” and performed at the Kirksville High School Chorus Fall concert on October 28, 2015, and by the Northeast Missouri All-District Choir on November 7, 2015, in Moberly.  It was a nice chance for us to do something for Dee,” Murphy said.  “It was spectacular to hear 140 kids sing that song knowing that it was about Dee especially since he did not know the song was dedicated to him until the end of the concert even though he was the accompanist.  Dee was very humbled and honored by the surprise.”

Dee was preceded in death by his parents DeVelda LaVern and Mary Naomi Roberts and his sister Mary Avalee Roberts Cole. He is survived by Mary’s husband Colonel Carey E. Cole of Acworth, GA, his niece Christina Cole Bohannon, her husband John R. Bohannon and their sons Caleb and his wife Ryann, Eli and Ethan of Marietta, GA. Christina was the love of Dee’s life, and he called her Christa Cakes.

Contributions in Dee’s honor can be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 124 N. Mulanix St., Kirksville, MO 63501 or the Kirksville High School Music Department, c/o Rebecca Murphy, 1300 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Kirksville, MO 63501. A celebration of life will be held at a future date. Condolences can be made to Colonel Carey E. Cole and Christina Cole Bohannon, 58 Dew Mist Lane Acworth, GA 30101.

Arrangements in the care of Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home; www.davisplaylehudsonrimer.com.