Roberta was born April 20, 1949 in Peoria, Illinois to Robert and Wanita (Taylor) Renfro. Roberta married her high school sweetheart, Paul Reber on March 6, 1971 in East Peoria. They shared their lives for over 50 years and grew to appreciate each other more and more as the years rolled by. She believed the best years of married relationships are the supportive years later in life when there is nothing left to prove. Paul survives her.
She is survived by her five children: Deanne (Kevin) Wright of Madrid IA, Mike (Brandy) Reber of Alexandria VA, Dawn (Matt) Bowers of Syracuse IN, Jon (Jackie) Reber of Chicago and Laura (Jim Sieler) Reber of Chicago, and twelve grandchildren: Carsten Wright, Chaz Reber, Jaeden Bowers, Talia Wright, Cruz Reber, Christopher Bowers, Celeste Bowers, Xander Bowers, Casen Reber, Michaela Reber, Isaac Reber, and Annabel Reber, and her sister Pam Peters of Sarasota, FL. She was preceded in death by her father and mother.
Roberta truly loved her Lord, her husband, and her family. She enjoyed being a full-time mother. Her hobbies included attending (or helping with) kids’ events, reading (including to the kids), hosting birthday parties, sewing, knitting, making candles, pottery (actually almost any craft), cooking, gardening, and running garage sales.
A friend introduced her to Christ while in elementary school. She was the face of Christ to all her family. She reaffirmed Jesus as her Lord and Savior in 1975 at First Baptist Church in Canton. She later attended Temple Baptist Church and Lakeland Community Church, both in Canton. She served various roles including Diaconate, Trustee, teacher of a woman’s class for over 40 years, Vacation Bible School (including co-chairman), children’s teacher, backyard bible club leader, and Elder. She was also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer advocating for many children in the courts for over 10 years until CASA was removed from Fulton County in 2021.
She graduated from East Peoria High School in 1967 as salutatorian, with the second highest grade average in a class of 367. She graduated with honors from Illinois State University in 1970 with a Batchelor of Science in mathematics and a teaching certificate. She taught Spanish in Brimfield and math in Yates City high schools (supporting her new family as Paul finished college). Later she taught math again at Yates City and Canton high schools and also tutored. Her life dream was to spend much of her life as a teacher but holding her first child changed her top priority to being a full-time mother (and homemaker). She excelled at both.
A visitation will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at Sedgwick Funeral Homes & Crematory in Canton, IL. Services will immediately follow. A Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Canton, IL will follow at a later date. Memorials can be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to the charity of your choice. To make online condolences, you may go to www.sedgwickfuneralhomes.com
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