Dr. Bob H. Roberts, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 2, 2024, just shy of his 88th birthday, at Burr's Tender Care Assisted Living, Spearfish, SD.

"Dr. Bob", "Dad" "Grampy", "Grampa Bob"  was born June 16, 1936, in Merrill, Oregon.  He attended various public schools in Oregon and graduated from Springfield, Oregon, in 1954.  Bob was a United States Air Force corpsman from 1954 to 1958. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1962, and Marquette School of Medicine in 1966. Dr. Bob worked in private practice in Grass Valley, California, from 1968-1969, and in internal medicine at Grass Valley, California, from 1971 to 1982.  In 1982, Bob and his wife, Betty Jo, moved to Spearfish, South Dakota, where he and Dr. Brown established Queen City Medical Center.

Bob enjoyed the beauty of the West River area, offering him fishing and hunting opportunities, and caring for the offspring of the tough and tenacious early ranchers, farmers, and immigrants.  He always said it gave him a very strong sense of belonging, not only to the people, but to the land.

Bob loved reading, fishing, hunting, and traveling…and spending time with his family. He enjoyed school, even skipped 4th grade; but in high school he found other interests and often skipped school a lot.  But after his four years in the service, he returned to school, excited to learn and graduated 20th in his class.  Bob always believed that he needed to learn new things,  so at 33, he learned how to ride a horse and competed with his daughter in many 50-100 mile races.  His desire to continue learning was always a challenge for himself, mastering the art of tying flies (up until he passed), and teaching  Science at Spearfish Classical Christian School after retiring in April 2003.  He completed a 200-mile canoe trip with his grandson, Wilson, tracing Lewis and Clark's journey down the Missouri River.   He also qualified himself as an officiant to perform the marriage of two fellow fishermen he met while fishing in the Big Horns, with whom he is still in touch.

Dr. Bob belonged to the South Dakota State Medical Society, American Society of Internal Medicine, Society of Ultrasonography (actually bringing the first sonograph machine to Spearfish), the Spearfish Rod and Gun Club, and was a member of the former Mountain View Baptist Church.

Bob believed in living by the three A's…Be Available, on time; Be Affable, good-natured; and Be Aggressive, what you put into life is exactly what you get out of it.

Bob is survived by his children and their families: Kimi (Martin) Pedley; Kari Meyer; Jami (Jim) Hopper; Michael (Shelley) Roberts; Angie (Tim) Abbey; stepchildren – Steven (Barbara) Long and Matt (Barbie) Long;  his sister, Joyce (Doug) Henning; his sister-in-law, Joyce Montre; and many friends & families, as well as his dear & devoted friends, Paul and Pat Barber who covered the globe traveling together with Bob & Betty Jo.  Bob was preceded in death by his loving wife, Betty Jo, his parents, and a sister.

Memorial services for Bob will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Fidler-Isburg Funeral Home, in Spearfish.  Graveside services will follow at the Lakeside Cemetery, Owanka, S.D. at approximately 12:30. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for the Spearfish Canyon Foundation, where Bob could be found any day of the week, enjoying his lifelong passion for fishing.

The family would especially want to acknowledge and thank the loving care Bob received at Burr Tender Care Assisted Living, where everyone, especially his angel, Amber, took special care of Bob for the past several years.

We will all miss you,  "Dr. Bob", "Dad" "Grampy", "Grampa Bob"   but we rejoice with you as you receive your reward in Heaven, and we know we will all gather there again someday.