Robert "Bobby" Pullen Roberts

Robert “Bobby” Pullen Roberts, age 81, of Decatur, passed away on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at his home. He was third child of E.F. “Gene” and Mirdeth Roberts, Bobby was born on March 21, 1940, on the Roberts Farm. He grew up in the Goodfield community, south of Decatur, Tennessee, on a piece of farmland that had been passed from generation-to-generation. Though he played sports and went to class like every boy his age, he came alive on the farm. He worked hard with his father to run the “E.F. Roberts & Son” farming operation, bailing hay, growing crops, and tending to cattle. He also made time to go on spontaneous hunting trips in the nearby ridgeline with his Red Ryder BB Gun. And he, of course, made time to hang out with friends. Together, they searched for hidden swimming holes, paid five cents to watch western films at the local theatre, spent late nights frog-gigging, and even learned how to water-ski on a pair of skis they fashioned out of wooden planks, inner tubes, and a few screws (there were a few crashes). During the 1950s, Bobby attended Meigs County High School.He played basketball and tried to pay attention in class. But a young freshman caught his eye––Miss Anna Jean Edgemon. They soon began dating. After graduating from Meigs High, Bobby traveled over the mountain to get a degree in animal husbandry from Tennessee Tech. He usually took weekends off to come home and pitch in around the farm. His journey usually served as a ferry to Decatur for several friends at Tech who did not have cars. But he also used the trip as an excuse to travel to Ten Mile so he could visit his high-school sweetheart. Bobby and Anna Jean married on March 16, 1962, while they were both students. After finishing their degrees, they moved to west Tennessee where Bobby started his professional career at a Farmers’ Co-Op. After a few moves and a couple of children, Bobby and Anna Jean moved home to Decatur where he built a single-story home on a hilltop overlooking the Roberts Farm. With the move came a job change. He started as a forklift driver at Mayfield Dairy, but he quickly learned the craft of making ice cream. In fact, he invented the “cookie stomper” that smashes Oreo cookies and ensures that they get evenly layered into every bite of Mayfield’s Cookies & Cream ice cream. This homegrown sense of ingenuity got Bobby promoted from forklift driver to Ice Cream Superintendent during his 34-year tenure at Mayfield’s. In his off time, Bobby always made time to offer a helping hand. He was active in anything going on at First Baptist Decatur. He mentored many young men and women, from employees to pastors. And he always offered to help his friends and neighbors with anything they needed—from mechanic work, to calf birthing, to hauling hay. To Bobby, any problem could be solved with a little common sense and some no-nonsense ingenuity. In February 2000, Bobby retired from Mayfield Dairy. Retirement closed the book on his long career in ice cream production. But it opened a host of other doors––doors that allowed him to spend even more time with his family and friends, pursue his hobbies, and invest in his community. Family was the cornerstone of his retirement. He had two children and six grandchildren. Just as he had done with his own children, Bobby was heavily involved in his grandchildren’s lives and activities. He showed up at double-header baseball games, championship football games, FFA events, piano recitals, taekwondo tournaments, speech-and-debate tournaments, college and high-school graduations, and many other milestone moments. Family gatherings after church on Sundays always felt like a holiday––they were easy-going and full of laughter. Bobby still took great pride in operating the Roberts Farm, working from sunup to sundown well into his seventies. He often called on his kids and grandkids to haul hay, move cattle, or accompany him as he worked in the garage on his latest contraption. Bobby’s community infused his retired life with meaning and excitement. He always found ways to help out his church, First Baptist Decatur. He served as a deacon (a chairmen for several terms), a member of the finance committee, and even a bass singer in the choir. He also served as the President of the Meigs County Fair Association and a member of the board of directors for the Meigs County Farm Bureau. The next generation always mattered to Bobby, even if they were not his grandkids. He volunteered at Meigs High’s agriculture department to assist with special projects. He was also an ardent supporter of the local FFA. He helped neighbors prepare for cattle showing events, and he––of course––faithfully participated in the annual FFA pig roast, taking great pride in setting up his homebuilt smoker before his friends. Though his health took a sharp turn in 2019, he continued to love his family and friends well. In fact, three things never changed: his love for Jesus, his love for his family, and his love for the Roberts Farm and the community that surrounds it. In his final days, he was visited by the people he loved the most and looked out on the farmland he cherished for eight decades. Thank you to special neighbors and friends who prepared numerous meals and goodies during his fight with cancer. A special thank-you to his physicians and their staff: Dr. Stephen Miller, Dr. David Hauge, and Dr. Joseph Meyer. Bobby is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years,:Anna Jean; son: Shane (Sharon); daughter: Sharmin (Clint); six grandchildren: Shane Jr. (Ashlyn,) Bryson, Christopher, Emma Catherine, Brantley, and Joseph Pullen; and sister: Celia Thompson (Charles). Bobby is predeceased by his parents :E.F. “Gene” and Mirdeth Roberts; sister: Eleanor and J.W. Dannel. Honorary Pallbearers: Deacons of First Baptist Decatur; Brandon Cobble, Butch Edgemon, Dave Gregory, Wayne Perkinson, and Lewis Thompson. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Decatur First Baptist Church with Rev. Jamey Davis and the Rev. Jordan Metzger officiating. Interment will follow at the Goodfield Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Decatur First Baptist Church. Decatur Funeral Home & Cremation Services is honored to serve the Roberts Family.