Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Roberts Succumbs To Cancer

Prescott and Nevada County have lost another leading citizen.

Edward F. "Ed" Roberts, 65, of Prescott, died Saturday, Aug. 1, at his home.

Roberts is best remembered as a civically minded businessman in the area. Along with owning a truck stop at Exit 46, he also operated the Nevada County Ambulance Service and was on the Nevada County Hospital Board.

Tommy Birdsong was Roberts' brother-in-law for several years. He said Roberts was retired from the military, had been a businessman in Prescott where he ran the Texaco station and was involved in the timber industry.

"He was a nice guy," Birdsong said.

Nevada County Clerk Juliana Stockton also said Roberts was a nice person and ran Ed's Truck Stop.

"It was a thriving business," Stockton said. "I knew him all my life. His daughters are like my sisters. He loved his family."

Nevada County Treasurer Sydney DuCharme went to school with Roberts. "Ed was Ed. He was unique."

DuCharme said Roberts had a good, close family and hailed originally from Gurdon. His family ran a grocery store there, which he took over. "That's where his roots are," she said.

Carl Dalrymple served with Roberts on the hospital board. "He was always civic minded," Dalrymple said.

"He took the job seriously and did a good job," he continued. "It was a tough time because we didn't have an administrator then."

Dalrymple said he used to eat at Roberts' restaurant and always got along with him.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor was a close friend of Roberts. "I liked Ed," he said. "He was a friend."

Taylor said Roberts had his ways, but had a heart as big as a car. "If he liked you, he'd give you the shirt off his back. We were always close."

Roberts wasn't afraid to take a chance in business, Taylor said, but did have his problems financially. "I blame it on the people who worked or him. He never blamed anyone. He was tender hearted."

Taylor called Roberts a hospitable person who knew everyone and had friends everywhere.

Roberts, he said, was also well known in the timber industry, owning a truck and hauling chips, as well as buying land and timber.

Roberts was born Nov. 6, 1932 in Prescott, was a mason and member of the Gurdon Masonic Lodge No. 187 F&AM. He was an air force veteran of Korea and Vietnam.