John M. Roberts, 74, of Bethlehem, died peacefully into his Lord's hands on May 6, 2022, at St. Luke's Hospice, after a struggle with Lewy Body Dementia.  John, also known as Jack to his family and pre-college graduation friends, was born in Philadelphia and raised in Buffalo, New York, by his parents the Rev. John W. Roberts, Jr., and Leith Pickering Roberts.  He was the beloved husband of the Rev. Edith B. Roberts, with whom he would have celebrated 52 years of marriage on June 28.  He was the beloved father of three and grandfather of six.

John/Jack graduated from West Seneca High School, Buffalo, NY, in 1966 and from Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, NC, in 1972.  He received his teaching certification courses from East Stroudsburg University.  A member of MENSA, he was a creative and inspiring teacher whose career included preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school.  He retired in 2015 after serving as the Gifted Teacher in the Pleasant Valley School District for 23 years.

He loved his family and friends, music, reading, writing letters, and hiking.  He was the perfect pastor's spouse, complementing his wife's 33 years of active ministry. He read thousands of books in his lifetime, passing along his love of reading to both his children and grandchildren, as he would sit for hours reading to them.  He wrote at least a dozen letters each week to family and friends. He sang in numerous church and school choirs, including the Senior Choirs of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wilson Borough, St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, and St. Paul's Third Lutheran Church in Easton. He played the guitar and used his talents as the Youth Choir Director at Good Shepherd during the 1980's and as the music leadership for Sunday School, Bible School, Sunday Evening Worship, and a variety of other occasions at St. Peter's.  Until the Pandemic began, he and his wife took grandchildren on summer hiking vacations in New England.  He was not an avid traveler, but because he loved his wife, he traveled as far as Alaska and Hawaii and to 16 different countries.  And because he knew that she loved to travel, he stayed home to care for her cats and water her plants so she could travel the world.

John/Jack was a faithful and committed member of a variety of congregations during his life because he was both a pastor's kid and a pastor's spouse.  At the time of his death, he was a member of St. Paul's Third Lutheran Church, Easton, the congregation they joined after his wife's retirement.

Survivors: Wife; children: John D. Roberts and his wife Genevieve; Jarrod N. Roberts and his wife Stacy; Raechel S. Goldberg and her husband Joshua.  Grandchildren: Genevieve, Nathan, and Jason Goldberg; Connor Roberts; Ryla and Jack Roberts.  Siblings: James F. Roberts and his wife Joan; Richard T. Roberts and his wife Katharina; Kate Snyder and her wife the Rev. Ruth Snyder.

Services:  11 am Saturday, May 14, in St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Packer Avenue and Vine Street, Bethlehem.  Visitation will be held from 6:30 - 8 pm Friday, May 13, in the Pearson Funeral Home, 1901 Linden Street, Bethlehem.  Burial will be private.  The family requests those attending to wear masks.

Memorial contributions:  St. Paul Third Lutheran Church, Easton or the Bethlehem Public Library.  Online condolences may be sent to www.pearsonfh.com.