{"id":32808,"date":"2026-03-17T15:11:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T21:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/?post_type=case&p=32808"},"modified":"2026-03-20T17:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T23:03:15","slug":"laverne-l-roberts-age-88-of-clancy","status":"publish","type":"case","link":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/obituaries\/laverne-l-roberts-age-88-of-clancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Laverne L. Roberts, age 88 of Helena"},"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","class_list":{"0":"post-32808","1":"case","2":"type-case","3":"status-publish","5":"entry","6":"has-post-thumbnail"},"acf":[],"fields":{"first_name":"Laverne","middle_name":"Louis","last_name":"Roberts","date_born":"07\/26\/1937","date_died":"03\/17\/2026","age":"88","city":"Clancy","state":"Montana","full_obituary_text":"

LIVE STREAM LINK<\/a><\/h1>\n

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LAVERNE LOUIS ROBERTS (1937-2026)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

On the early morning of March 17, 2026, Laverne \u201cVern\u201d Louis Roberts, peacefully, passed away of natural causes. Vern was being visited and comforted by his family, pastor, and familiar staff members of an assisted care facility in Montana City, Montana. He was 88 years old.<\/p>\n

Vern was born on July 26, 1937, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, to Floyd Lavern Roberts and Lucelia Mehlbrech Roberts. He had two sisters, Carolyn Roberts Lorenson (1933) and Evelyn Roberts Lang (1945).<\/p>\n

In 1950, when he was 13 years old, the family moved to York, Montana. Tragically, on July 5, 1952, his mother (age 41) passed away due to complications from surgery. Afterwards, his sisters moved to Nebraska. Vern (age 14) decided to become emancipated and remain in Montana. Due to a lack of transportation, he dropped out of high school (freshman\/sophomore years) and began work on a ranch that was owned by Florence Belknap, his fifth-grade schoolteacher. After some time, he returned to high school where he spent his summers on the ranch, worked on a poultry farm during the winter, went to school during the day, and worked on the ranch during the weekends. He successfully graduated high school in 1957. After graduation, he went to work in Helena, Montana, at Jorgenson\u2019s Restaurant, Weggenman\u2019s Market on South Main Street, Sheehan\u2019s Distributing, and the State of Montana Department of Revenue in the Print Shop, where he received the Employee of the Year award in 1979. Vern also served as a member of the Montana Army National Guard where he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant (SGT). One night, while dancing at the Eagles supper club he met his future wife, Elizabeth \u201cBetty\u201d Herrig. They were married, April 14, 1973, at St. John\u2019s Lutheran Church and settled in Helena, Montana, where they became active members of the Valley View Lutheran Church. Vern was a great dad to his three stepchildren (Sherrie, Kathy, & Patti Herrig). He took his family fishing; helped with homework; visited many historical, western locations in Montana and South Dakota; walked his daughters down the aisle when they got married; and was a substantial part of his grand and great-grandchildren\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

Vern was preceded in death by: Floyd Roberts (father), Lucelia Mehlbrech (mother), Elizabeth \u201cBetty\u201d Roberts (wife), Carolyn Roberts Lorenson (sister), and Evelyn Roberts Lang (sister).<\/p>\n

Vern is survived by: Sherrie Herrig Hogan, Kathy Herrig Briggs, Patti Herrig Thompson (daughters), Tyler Nelson, Stefanie Nelson Fitte, Jessie Briggs Peterson, Joseph K. Briggs, Katie Roberts Styren and Jenny Powell (grandchildren), Tanner Nelson, Tevin Nelson, Camden Nelson, Joslyn Briggs, Joseph M. Briggs, Sadie Styren, Caleb Styren, Sarah Styren, Quinn Fitte, Madison Fitte, Brady and Lucy Powell (great-grandchildren), Larry Roberts, Harvey Finley (nephews), Robyn Lang Peterson, and Kandi Lang Paulson (nieces).<\/p>\n

A public viewing will be held Monday, March 23, 2026, between 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Anderson Stevenson Wilke & Retz Funeral Home & Crematory, 3750 North Montana Avenue, Helena, Montana 59602.<\/p>\n

Join the family for a funeral service on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 10:00 a.m., at Valley View Lutheran Church. Following the service, Vern will be interred, beside his wife, at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 7100 N. Montana Ave., Helena, MT 59602.<\/p>\n

Condolences, memorials, flowers, and special donations for the church building fund may be sent to Valley View Lutheran Church, 3000 N. Benton Ave, Helena, MT 59601, (406) 443-6663.<\/p>\n

The family would like to thank the staff at Valley View Lutheran Church, Golden Options Care Assisted Living (https:\/\/www.goldenoptionscare.com<\/a>), and Anderson Stevenson Wilke & Retz Funeral Home & Crematory (https:\/\/aswfuneralhome.com<\/a>) for their valuable help and caring.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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