Francis Arling Roberts

He was born January 15, 1926, in Mason, to parents, Arling and Maude Sincock Roberts. He attended the local schools, leaving Houghton High School in his senior year to serve in the army.

He served as a Corporal in the 86th Infantry Division Signal Corps during WWII in both Europe and the Philippines.

After his return from the service, he went back to school to complete his senior year and graduated with the Houghton High School Class of 1948.

He worked for the Corps of Engineers, Bridgeman-Russell Dairy, and then joined Metropolitan Insurance Co. as a salesman. He later worked for Prudential Insurance Co., and as an agent for American Community Insurance Co.

Fuzzy married the former Shirley Kukkonen of Hancock in the summer of 1950. She survives him, as do his four children, Deborah (Irwin) Jordan of De Pere; Melissa (Paul) Witting of Hurontown, Kathryn Roberts of Hurontown, and Patrick (Gianny) Roberts of De Pere, Wisconsin., eight grandchildren, Christopher (Jessica) Brown of Chicago, Illinois, Kristen (Mary Herr) Tuomi of Sobieski, Wisconsin, Justin (Jing Guo) Brown of De Pere, Aaron Witting of Hancock, Jeremy (Samantha) Roberts of Manhattan, Kansas, Charles Andrews of Menasha, Wisconsin, Seth (Aimee Erdman) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Alyssa Cannon of Ironwood; great grandson, Felix Roberts of Manhattan, Kansas; and nieces, June (George) Eakin, Sharon (Richard) Layton, and Gail (Andrew) Garcia; and his beloved four-legged family member, Sweetie.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Virginia Piipponen and June Talbot; and nephew, Morgan Odgers.

He was a former member of the Runeberg Lodge, VFW, American Legion, and the Titanic Historical Society in honor of his mother who was a Titanic survivor. He was active with the Copper Country Band and Drill Team and drove buses for the organization for many years. After retirement, he enjoyed years of summer RV camping throughout the U.P. and Wisconsin.

Fuzzy loved his family and friends, and he had a special love for the four-legged companions that shared his home throughout the years. Because of his love for animals, the family asks that any memorials in his name be made to our local Copper Country Humane Society.

The family would like to thank Dr. William Anderson and Dr. Todd Anderson, Mark Dennis of the O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home, and a very special thanks to the wonderful staff at Woodland Haven for their committed and compassionate care of Fuzzy, and the friendship and care shown to his entire family. Interment in the spring will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Houghton.

No funeral service will held, but a gathering for friends and family will be held on Saturday, April 1, at the Holiday Inn Express from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Please join us to celebrate his life and share memories. Go to oneilldennisfh.com to leave online condolences for his family.