Dear Family & Friends, I'm very much saddened to learn Roberta passed recently. In the mid-1960s, Bobbie (as we knew her in school) & I were part of a school-sponsored music (folk) ensemble. We were popular because she had a near-pitch-perfect voice, & an uncanny ability to mesmerize audiences. Bobbie, & her soprano partner in the ensemble, were superb. When they sang complex harmonies, often with nuanced personal expressions, audiences stared in awe, captivated by the most heavenly voices you can imagine. I was lucky enough to be onstage with two breathtakingly talented ladies, & however good I thought I was, standing next to Bobbie when she sang, showed me what powerful, soulfully precise, & smooth performances, meant to a rapt audience. She made it look so easy. Audience compliments were common. One in particular came from a young lady, who told me she became unexpectedly emotional, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by our ladies' perfectly matched harmonies, & specifically Bobbie's solos. Characteristically, Bobbie later downplayed the compliment, saying she didn't think what she did was particularly special. I only knew Bobbie, in high school as a friend & fellow musician, for a couple of years, but was privileged to perform beside her many times, & marveled at how she infused elegance & perfection, so effortlessly, into everything she did. I was especially glad to learn that, having perfected her craft, she used her abundant musical talents professionally. She was also a truly sincere person. Sad to say we never kept in touch once half the ensemble graduated, but writing this, just shy of 60 years later, I've never forgotten what a remarkable talent - & friend - she was.
