William "Bill" Roberts

William Bowie Roberts, “Bill,” capped an extraordinary life on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at his home in Prague, Oklahoma. He died from complications due to lung cancer. Bill was a devoted husband, an inspirational father and grandfather, an innovator in business and a life long learner. He was a major influence on everyone who knew him. Bill was born November 29, 1934, and he grew up in Duncan, Oklahoma. He attended the University of Oklahoma in the school of journalism, which launched his career in advertising and public relations. For more than 40 years, Bill was a trailblazer in the arena of public relations in Oklahoma working with such clients as Halliburton, Phillip Morris, The City of Oklahoma City, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Shawnee Mills, Thomas Concrete Buildings, St. Anthony Hospital, McDonald’s and the Oklahoma Rural Electric Cooperatives. Bill was a writer, editor, and publisher of Oklahoma Business Magazine, CB Magazine, Indian America, and Oklahoma Living. He organized the first economic exchange tour from Oklahoma to Germany. Towards the end of his career, he worked to re-energize rural Oklahoma through cooperative economic development projects as a board member of the National Rural Economic Development Association. Bill’s hobbies included photography, travel, and American History. Bill is survived by his wife: Mary 'Kelly' Aycock Roberts, children: Shelby (Ingrid) and Hayden (Sarah), their mother, Dora, and grandchildren: Jackson, Willa, and Owen. He was preceded in death by his father: Hayden, mother: Elsie, and brother: John. A service will be held at Parks Brothers Funeral Chapel (1405 W. Main, Prague, OK 74864) at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, June 30th. Bill will be buried at Prague Cemetery at a later date. The family has asked that memorials in Bill’s memory be sent to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (825 Northeast 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104-5097 or KOSU Oklahoma Public Radio (Attn: Kelly, 303 Paul Miller, Stillwater, OK 74078, 800-228-4678).