Obituary of Marie Sterner Roberts

Joan Marie Sterner Roberts age 88, passed away early Wednesday evening November 30, 2016, at the Livingston County CNFR in Mt. Morris. Marie was born in Sparta on May 24, 1928, a daughter of the late Theodore and Gertrude (Pike) Sterner, and has been a lifelong resident of Livingston County with a short hiatus in Naples, NY where she owned and operated Naples Floral Center. Marie's life began very humble; she was raised on a dairy farm, like many agricultural families in Livingston County. While growing up, her Dad was always worrying about the weather, "too much rain, not enough rain, too much, sun" and then she married a nurserymen from Dansville Richard L. "Dick" Roberts, on June 21, 1947 and they continued to have those same worries! Marie was married to Dick for 40 Years; and in those years together they raised 4 children; Tom (Polly Pittman) Roberts, Carol (Dave) Pierce, Amy (Dean) Englert, and Sarah Welch, and have continued to extend their legacy through seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Mike) Long, Trevor (Jennifer) Roberts, Spencer (Katie) Roberts, Jane Roberts, Benjamin (Tami) Pierce, Nicholas (Sally) Pierce and Derrick Englert, nine great-grandchildren, Jordan and Ava Pierce, Patrick (Paddy), Jack, Emma and Alexander Roberts, Matthew, Andrew, and Ashleigh Long; a brother in-law Robert "Bob" Roberts and many nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by a brother William Sterner a sister, June Jones, and a son in-law, Thomas G. Welch. For the past sixty-five years, Marie has represented numerous groups and has been a voice for Livingston County and the Town of North Dansville in many community service positions. Her activities span across multiple service disciplines, political, religious, health and human services and arts, she has served to support the following nonprofit groups. Livingston County Republican Women as chairman, Livingston County Planning Board, Livingston County Children's Protective Organization, Livingston County Triad for the safety of Senior Citizens, Genesee Valley Council of the Arts as a board member, Village of Dansville Zoning Board of Appeals, Dansville United Methodist Church Financial Officer and Decoration Committee, King's Daughters Board Member, Dansville Food Pantry, Dansville Area Historical Society, American Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, Dansville Civic Club, Class of 1946 Alumni Association, Voter Registration, Although Marie has been a career volunteer, she also managed to have a professional one. She held positions at W.T. Grants, Park Avenue Florist, Pappas Florist, Naples Floral Center, Carney Boswell's as an interior designer, Managed an Off Track Betting office in Dansville and Geneseo. She managed the Foster Wheeler guesthouse in Dansville. In her spare time, she enjoyed playing bridge, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cooking, baking, and being social during her weekly "Fish Fry" with her lady friends, Friends may call Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm at the Hindle Funeral Home, 271 Main St., Dansville. A funeral services will be held Monday at 10:00 am at the Dansville United Methodist Church. Online remembrances may be left at HindleFuneralHome.com. Memorials may be made to the Dansville Public Library, 200 Main St. or the Dansville Area Historical Society, 14 Church St. both of Dansville, NY 14437.