Changes

|birth_place=Alpine, Brewster County, [[Texas]], USA

|birth_place=Alpine, Brewster County, [[Texas]], USA

|death_date=June 3, 2021 (aged 84)

|death_date=June 3, 2021 (aged 84)

|death_place=Marathon, Brewster County

|death_place=Marathon,<br> Brewster County

|resting_place=Marathon Cemetery

|resting_place=Marathon Cemetery

|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]

|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]

==Background==

==Background==

Roberts' ancestors arrived in 1885, prior to the creation of Brewster County. He lived in his later years on his grandfather’s old ranch south of Marathon.<ref name=saen/> Roberts was born in Alpine, the Brewster County seat of government, to James Travis Roberts, Sr. (1905-1990), and the former Annie Pauline Bierschwale (1913-1997). He and his brothers, John and Ike Roberts, worked the family ranch and the large Catto-Gage Ranch.in Kendalia in Kendall County in the Texas Hill Country. Beginning in 1955, Roberts attended [[Texas A&M University]] in [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], at which he was a member of the Fightin’ Aggie Band. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. After college, he served as a lieutenant in the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] and in the Army Reserves. name=obit/>

Roberts' ancestors arrived in 1885, prior to the creation of Brewster County. He lived in his later years on his grandfather’s old ranch south of Marathon (pronounced MAR A THUN).<ref name=saen/> Roberts was born in Alpine, the Brewster County seat of government, to James Travis Roberts, Sr. (1905-1990), and the former Annie Pauline Bierschwale (1913-1997). He and his brothers, John Walter Roberts (1942-2017) and Billy Gene "Ike" Roberts (1940-2023), worked the family ranch and the large Catto-Gage Ranch in Kendalia in Kendall County in the Texas Hill Country.<ref name=obit/>

 

Beginning in 1955, Roberts attended [[Texas A&M University]] in [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], at which he was a member of the Fightin’ Aggie Band. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. After college, he served as a lieutenant in the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] and in the Army Reserves.<ref name=obit/>

==Career==

==Career==

Roberts had a lifelong passion for Texas history, specifically the southwest region and Brewster County. He served as chairman on the Brewster County Historical Commission and the Center for Big Bend Studies Advisory Board at Sul Ross State University in Alpine. He was a past president of the West Texas Historical Association, based at [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock]]. He was on the board of Preservation Texas and a member of the Marathon Museum Board and the cemetery association.<ref name=obit/>

Roberts had a lifelong passion for Texas history, specifically the southwest region and Brewster County. He served as chairman on the Brewster County Historical Commission and the Center for Big Bend Studies Advisory Board at Sul Ross State University in Alpine. He was a past president of the West Texas Historical Association, based at [[Texas Tech University]] in [[Lubbock]]. He was on the board of Preservation Texas and a member of the Marathon Museum Board and the cemetery association.<ref name=obit/>

The Texas Historical commission awarded him the George Christian Award for Outstanding Volunteer, of the Year, named for [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s press secretary of the Year. He also received the Sammy Baugh Award for Outstanding Service from Sul Ross Universit, and a letter of commendation from the governor for his fifty years as a professional engineer.<ref name=obit/>

The Texas Historical commission awarded him the George Christian Award for Outstanding Volunteer, of the Year, named for [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s press secretary. He also received the Sammy Baugh Award for Outstanding Service from Sul Ross University, and a letter of commendation from the governor for his fifty years as a professional engineer.<ref name=obit/>

==Family and death==

==Family and death==

Roberts had a son, James Travis Roberts, III, and his wife, Katie of Sanderson, Texas, and a daughter, Teresa "Terri" Ann Harkey and husband, Alan, of McKinney, Texas. He was also survived by his brother Ike Roberts of Marathon and a sister, Betty Hargus of Fort Stockton in Pecos County, Texas. He died of a brief illness at the age of eighty-four. He is interred at Marathon Cemetery.<ref name=obit/>

Roberts had a son, James Travis Roberts, III, and his wife, Katie, who operate the large Z Bar Trading Company in Sanderson, Texas,<ref>"Z Bar Trading Company," Bob Phillips' ''Texas Country Reporter,'' July 23, 2022.</ref>and a daughter, Teresa "Terri" Ann Harkey and husband, Alan, of McKinney, Texas. He was also survived by his brother Ike Roberts of Marathon and a sister, Betty Hargus (1939-2022) of Fort Stockton in Pecos County, Texas. He died of a brief illness at the age of eighty-four. He is interred at Marathon Cemetery.<ref name=obit/>

==References==

==References==