ROBERTS: The passing of Glenn Thomas "Fireball" Roberts, beloved husband of Liz and loving father to Quinn, occurred at his residence on Thursday, April 24, 2008. Complete obituary information to follow. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations in memory of Glenn may be made to Food for Thought, c/o Judy Seib, Brandon School Division, 1031 6th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 4K5. Arrangements are pending with Memories Chapel & Pre-Planning Centre, 727-0330.



ROBERTS: A light was extinguished and our world became a little dimmer with the passing of Glenn Thomas Roberts "Fireball" at his home on Thursday, April 24, 2008. Glenn left this world as he lived it - graciously, privately, and courageously. "He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much." If this is the case, then Glenn was very successful in his life. He enjoyed life, made us laugh and loved us greatly as we loved him. Glenn is survived by his loving wife, Liz (nee Campbell), and cherished by their daughter Quinn. His sister-in-law Marg Hodgson and brother-in-laws Alex Campbell & Brian Hodgson were constant supports throughout his illness, along with his nephews Jamie Hodgson & Chris Campbell. He also leaves a nephew Scott Waddell in Taiwan. Glenn is also survived by his sister Audrey Robertson of Fairfax, and her children Joanne (Roger) Graham, Kevin (Faye) Robertson and Blair Robertson, and families. Glenn was predeceased by his mother, Ella (nee Howe) (1982), father Tom Roberts (1957) and nephew Neil Robertson (1984). Glenn was born in Souris on October 6, 1974 - April 24, 2008. These dates signify the beginning and the end but what matters most is the dash between these dates. That dash represents how Glenn spent his life and those of us who loved him know how much that dash was worth. Glenn's friends were like family and he held them close to his heart. It is said that if you die with one good friend you are lucky . . . . Glenn had so many that his life was very rich indeed. Glenn entered this world with a set of cards in his hand and left it the same way. At a very young age he was needed to complete a fourth for bridge or some other card game with his parents and older sister. He continued this love of cards throughout his life. While at Brandon University he spent many hours playing duplicate bridge - perfecting his game by playing all day instead of attending class. He became very proficient at the game and earned his Masters level many years ago. He met many wonderful bridge partners and friends while attending tournaments in Canada and the United States. It was always remarkable how he and his bridge buddies could remember a hand they had played 10 or 15 years previously. This love of the game never left him. His bridge friends were a huge part of Glenn's life and there is comfort in knowing that he is joining his bridge partners Shirley and Russell. Quinn made a huge impact on Glenn's life. He fell into fatherhood like a duck takes to water. He took pleasure in watching Quinn grow and loved to watch her curl. She was responsible for him taking up golf after a 20-year hiatus. One game with her and the next day a set of clubs and a golf cart appeared in the driveway. His passion for golf was almost as much as his passion for bridge. He treasured his moments on the golf course and brought home many stories of the antics of his golf buddies. If they weren't arguing over who owed a quarter, they teased each other on their swing or their shot. We are forever grateful for the month he was able to spend in San Antonio last year golfing with his brother-in-law Alex Campbell and the rest of the Brandon crew. Glenn brought fun to every game he played and was always a sought after partner whether in bridge or golf. Traveling was another passion and he would spend months planning a vacation so we wouldn't miss a thing on our adventure. He would make up traveling games for Quinn and her cousin China Hillman to play so they wouldn't become bored in the car. We traveled to many States solely because it fit in with the "licence plate game" and those States that had double or triple-digit numbers. Glenn worked for the Manitoba Lotteries for 30 years before having to retire because of cancer. Prior to the Manitoba Government taking over the lottery business, Glenn was the first independent distributor of lottery tickets in Western Manitoba. During the 1979 Canada Winter Games he took on the job and remained in the industry until retirement. He encouraged his friend Jack Benstead to take the other position that became available and they forged not only a great working relationship but a long and lasting friendship. He had a wonderful mind, and was always open to learning. He was an avid reader, often reading, on a weekly basis, four or five books at a time. Very few could beat him at a game of Trivial Pursuit. When people complimented him on his ability to recall facts he would modestly say he was just the "keeper of useless information." A very special thanks to Dr. du Plooy, Brenda, Karen, & Margaret at the CancerCare in Brandon. You made a painful time bearable. Your kindness and support will never be forgotten. You truly are angels and we feel blessed to have had you in our lives when we needed you most. Thank you for going the extra mile to make Glenn's journey as easy as possible. Thank you to all the doctors and nurses that took part in his health care. Quinn and I would like to give a special thanks to our work colleagues, friends and family. The telephone calls, visits, and many other acts of kindness helped us to get through the day. We are forever grateful to Glenn's nephew Jamie Hodgson for sharing Glenn's final hours with us. The roles he cherished and for which he will be best remembered were those of husband, father, and friend. The Ceremony to Celebrate Glenn's Life will be held at Central United Church, 327 8th Street, on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 2:00 pm. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations in memory of Glenn may be made to Food for Thought, c/o Judy Seib, Brandon School Division, 1031 6th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 4K5. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.memorieschapel.com. Arrangements are with Memories Chapel & Pre-Planning Centre, 727-0330.