Obituary: Richard “Tad” Roberts, 1947-2012

Tad and wife, Connie

Richard “Tad” Roberts passed away on Aug. 13, 2012 in Magalia, Calif.

Tad was born on April 7, 1947. His father worked for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, so Tad grew up in the Owens Valley and the greater Eastern Sierra. He attended Lee Vining High School and graduated in 1965.

Tad was recruited to play football for Brigham Young University. During his senior year he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, but sustained a career-ending knee injury before graduation.

While in high school, Tad began his firefighting career in Lee Vining. Following college, he joined the June Lake Fire Department in 1970, where he worked his way up the ranks to become Fire Chief. He held the position of Chief for 20 years before retiring.

He also worked as a Mono County Sheriff Deputy Boat Patrol and held firefighter positions with the United State Forest Service, Kern County Fire Department and CAL FIRE.

Tad served as an Eastern Sierra Unified School Board member for 12 years.

He worked for Caltrans seasonally for about 32 years and then went to full time, and got his blasting license and did the avalanche control up and down the U.S. 395 corridor. He retired from Caltrans and moved to Magalia, Calif. in May 2010.

He enjoyed hunting and trap shooting. If Tad wasn’t fighting fires, he was shootin’ a gun. He competed in amateur trap shooting competitions throughout the state and was a member of the Bishop Gun Club, Bridgeport Gun Club, and Paradise Rod and Gun Club.

He married his wife, Connie in September 1989 at the June Lake Fire Station under the “Balancing Rock.”  They had a daughter, Nikki Roberts, and later welcomed a grandson, Ian.

Tad is survived by Connie, great granddaughters Nikki and Brianna Roberts, Rebecca Roberts and Sara Smalley.

Service will be held Sunday Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. at the Gull Lake Park in June Lake, Calif. A Pot Luck Celebration of Life will follow at the June Lake Community Center. Main course will be provided, please bring a side dish, salad or dessert.