Gerald "Gary" R. Roberts, 81, of Maxwell, Nebraska, passed away November 13, 2025, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg. He was born March 22, 1944, in Crawford, Nebraska, the third child of Ross and Mary (Kindig) Roberts.

In 1947, Gary's family moved to a farm in Webster County. He attended school in Cowles and, following consolidation, graduated from Red Cloud High School in 1962. That fall he enrolled at Kearney State College. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1966 and began teaching Industrial Arts (Shop).

Gary married Rita Harris in 1967. They welcomed three children—Natalie, Dawn, and Micheal. After their divorce in 1974, Gary and the children moved to Maxwell, where he taught for two years before entering the construction trades. He later married Pat Hunt in 1998, and together they had a daughter, Cassie. Gary and Pat divorced in 2001.In 2002, Gary hired on with Union Pacific Railroad as a conductor, retiring in 2018. Following retirement, he remained in Maxwell, where he raised cattle and built his home. He loved gardening and rarely missed any sporting, school, or church events of his children and grandchildren. He didn't expect them to be the best on the team—only to be the best they could be.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Dawn Pitner; brother, Lt. James Roberts; brother-in-law, Col. Mark Beerthuis; and niece, Rachel Beerthuis.

Gary is survived by his daughter, Natalie (Shane) Moats, and grandsons Nathan, of Auburn, NE and William, of North Platte; son, Micheal (Sarah) Roberts, and grandsons James (Kelsey), Jackson (Macy), and Jayce, all of Brady; daughter, Cassie Roberts of Paris, Tennessee; son-in-law, Eric Pitner, and granddaughter, Kennedy, both of North Platte; sisters, Suzanne Beerthuis of Alexandria, Virginia, and Marita (Jim) Brown of Kirksville, Missouri; and great-grandson, Brooks Michael Roberts.

Memorials are suggested to The Wounded Warriors Project, St. Patrick's School Activities Association, or to the family to be divided between the two. Online condolences may be shared at carpentermemorial.com.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Carpenter Memorial Chapel from 2 PM to 6 PM with family present to greet friends from 4 PM to 6 PM.  A memorial service will take place on Monday, November 24, 2025, at 10 AM at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Pastor Joe Sukraw, a former student of Gary's, as the officiant.  A private family burial will be held in Red Cloud, NE, where Gary will be laid to rest beside his brother, who was killed in military action