Joseph Thomas Roberts, 78, of York died March 16, 2018 at York Hospital in York, PA. He was the husband of the late Frederica Bergdoll Roberts. Born May 12, 1939 in Cleveland, OH, he was the son of the late Joseph Thomas Roberts and Mary Gertrude Goldston Roberts. Joe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1962. He was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and served during the Vietnam War. He piloted CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters with HMM-265 and deployed with the squadron on USS Boxer to Vietnam, where he received four Purple Hearts. After the Marine Corps, Joe worked in sales in the steel industry in Pennsylvania and then real estate in York.

He is survived by 5 children: Joseph Thomas “Robby” Roberts IV of Annapolis, MD, Arthur Gerard “Gerry” Roberts of Annapolis, MD, James B. “Jim” Stiles of York, Kristin Maria Roberts Norris of Annapolis, MD and Sean Joseph Roberts of Charlottesville, VA; 2 brothers: Alton O. “Tony” Roberts of San Francisco, CA and Charles E. “Chuck” Roberts of Frederick, MD; 14 grandchildren: Andrew Hoyes Roberts, Cali Roberts, Hunter Roberts, Brannigan Stiles, Cooper Stiles, Lexa Stiles, Delaney Stiles, Heather Merchant, Cody Merchant, Corey Merchant, Shannon Bright, Nicole Bright, Amelia Norris and McKinsey Norris. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Piper Stiles Merchant and his brother, James “Jimmy” Roberts.

This photo of HMM-265’s officers was taken at MCAS New River, Jacksonville, NC, prior to the squadron’s deployment to Vietnam. Joe is on the right, second row from the back.

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