Lawrence Roberts

Uncle Lawrence Robert Roberts (“Larry 2-Bobs”) passed away on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the age of 53 from a glioblastoma brain tumor. Larry was the first of three children born to Patricia (Healow) and Donald Roberts on September 29, 1961 in Billings, Montana. He attended Broadwater Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and graduated from Billings Senior High. He then attended MSU and The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Larry was in Olympia during the early days of the development of alternative grunge music in the Pacific Northwest. He ran a performing arts venue called the “Fabulous Tropicana” in Olympia that hosted some of the best bands of that era, including Nirvana, Black Flag, the Melvins, and Beat Happening. Larry also spent time working in the lumber industry in the Washington forests. Larry lived for a time in Portland, Oregon where he worked as a landscaper. Larry was very artistic, intelligent, inquisitive, and definitely opinionated. Most of all he was devoted and loyal to family and friends, and he loved children. Like his patron saint St. Michael, Larry was a fierce defender of those he loved. Larry ultimately returned to Billings to be near family, where he was a doting and beloved uncle to Samuel, Cynthia, Ruby, and Henry Gray. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his nieces and nephews. Larry was committed to and lived his faith. He also enjoyed visiting with people, which led him to volunteer for many faithful years as a bus driver for St Patrick Church's homebound ministry. In Billings, Larry delivered water for Big Spring Water, and most recently worked for The Clean Team of Montana. He was an avid outdoorsman, a devoted fan of his nieces and nephews sports teams, the Billings Central Rams, the Billings Mustangs, and the Seattle Mariners. One week before his death Larry was able to travel to Washington with his two sisters, nephews, and nieces. He watched the Mariners play, visited the Olympic Peninsula, Mt. Rainier, and the Ross Creek Giant Cedar Grove in Western Montana. Larry was preceded in death by his father, grandparents Mary and Robert Healow, Mildred and E.J. Roberts, an aunt Barbara Peterson, uncles Lawrence Roberts and Jerry Smith, and the world's smartest dog, OrElse. He is survived by his mother, his nieces and nephews, sisters Linda (Dan) Gray and Laura Roberts, aunts Michal Gilpin (Steve Tester) of Bozeman, Pam (Kevin) Thane of Bozeman, Roberta Smith of Three Forks, uncles John (Pat) Healow of Bozeman, Tim (Kin) Healow of San Francisco, Mike (Rose) Peterson of Albuquerque, and numerous cousins. We will mourn Larry's death and celebrate his eternal life. Suggested remembrances are to Billings Catholic Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 31158, Billings, MT 59107. Arrangements are in the care of the staff at Dahl Funeral Chapel.