Ex-mayor dies at 87

Samuel Roberts

LAKEWOOD - Samuel J. Roberts, who served as Lakewood's mayor in 1956-57, died May 23 in Putnam, Conn., at the age of 87, according to an obituary provided by his granddaughter, Lisa Bierly Reulbach.

Roberts, a native of Holly Springs, Ark., moved to New Jersey through his service in the Marines as a paratrooper during World War II. He was discharged from the Marines in 1946 as a first lieutenant after eight years of service and later became a major in the Marine Corps Reserve, where he served for 13 years.

Roberts settled in Lakewood to marry and raise his family. Most of his career was spent in the plastics molding industry, but his passion was politics and he served as Lakewood's mayor in 1956-57.

Roberts moved to Bethel, Vt., and then to Putnam, Conn., in the 1960s, He got back into politics after a 30-year hiatus and served as the mayor of Putnam from 1985-89.

Once retired, he moved to Woodstock, Conn., with his wife, Barbara.

According to Reulbach, at a Lakewood Township Committee meeting in 2005, Roberts' photograph was presented by his family to the township for display in the municipal building.

"My grandfather was very much a part of Lakewood (in the 1950s). When I saw the wall with the pictures of the former mayors, I knew I had to make sure he was included," Reulbach said.

In 2005, Roberts' daughter Elaine Roberts said of her father, "I loved what I saw in my father, his handshake and genuine feelings of goodwill for those he was talking with. His sense of decency and honesty were very clear to me. ... My openness to any person no matter their ethnicity, race, creed, color, etc., was primarily due to my father's belief that all people deserve their best shot."

Roberts was predeceased by his parents, James E. Roberts and Grace A. Pryor; a brother, James E. Roberts; his first wife, Evelyn Folke Roberts; and son Clifford A. Roberts.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Barbara Lewis Roberts of Woodstock, Conn.; daughter Elaine J. Roberts and son Samuel J. Roberts, both of New Marlborough, Mass.; daughter and son-in-law Joann E. and Ray Bierly of Tarpon Springs, Fla.; stepdaughter and son-in-law Cynthia and Ronald Brown, stepson Todd Goodwin, all of Woodstock, Conn.; stepson and daughter-in-law Mark and Janet Goodwin of Sutton, Mass.; stepdaughter Wendy Goodwin of Pittsfield, Mass.; stepdaughter and son-in-law Rebecca and William Augustus of Sutton, Mass.; grandchildren Cassidy, Corey, Benjamin, Jonathan, Ryan, Jacquelyn, Jamie, Lauren, Dina, Lisa and Jeff; and two great-grandchildren, Grant and Brittany.

Burial at a future date will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Lakewood.