04/20/2026
Kenneth Wayne Roberts, 80, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026, at The Pavilion at Crescent Lake in Crescent City, FL. Ken was born on October 25, 1945, to the late M. Louise Bejune and Frank “Bob” Roberts in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Ken met his wife, Sandy StCroix, while attending Fitchburg State University, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. They married in 1966, and welcomed their son Christopher Paul in 1967, and their daughter Heather Alyn in 1970.
Ken knew early on that he wanted to be a teacher. After receiving his Master’s Degree in Education, he quickly found work teaching Social Studies at Groton High School (later known as Groton Dunstable Regional Secondary School), where he worked for decades. Not much older than the students when he started, Ken was instantly a beloved and favorite teacher among all who took his classes. He would often arrive to work on his motorcycle—adding to the cool factor he exuded every day. He was engaging, funny, smart, and knew how to communicate with kids on their level, while also inspiring them.
Ken made subjects like History relevant, interesting, and fun, and he took great satisfaction in his ability to engage hard-to-reach students. Later, in addition to his social studies classes, Ken created a curriculum for seniors that taught them real life skills, like how to balance a checkbook and maintain a car. His goal was for his students to be both book-smart and life-smart.
Ken also shared his love of 1950s rock and roll by hosting high school Grease dances. Students traded in their 1970s bell bottoms and wide-collared shirts for poodle skirts and leather jackets, and Ken’s alter-ego “Rockin’ Roberts” spun tunes, judged dance contests, and had an absolute blast.
A soccer enthusiast at a young age, Ken played for Duxbury growing up, and later founded both the school boys soccer program, and later the girls program, at Groton.
Like most teachers, Ken had another source of income that he thoroughly enjoyed, working part time at the Groton Country Club in Groton, Massachusetts. He would occasionally bartend special events and manage the grounds of the golf course during the summer. Ken was well-known in Groton as someone quick with a laugh and a smile.
Ken later joined the teaching staff at Pelham High School in Pelham, New Hampshire, where he developed a Criminology course that quickly became a student favorite. He also took on coaching duties for the school’s tennis team – a sport he wasn’t an expert in, but he accepted the challenge, and dedicated himself to learning and being the best possible role model for his team.
Ken was also a huge Boston sports fan. His favorite team was the Big Bad Bruins. Watching games on TV38 (before cable!) could be a challenge when the TV antenna reception was poor, but he could always see the puck through the snow on the screen. And when the B’s scored a goal, the whole neighborhood heard his celebratory yells.
Ken lived out his last years in Florida, and his last months were spent at The Pavilion at Crescent Lake in Crescent City where he was cared for by a wonderful team of nurses and staff who knew him as “Kenny”, who made sure he felt loved every minute of every day.
Ken was a beloved father, husband, son, brother, uncle, teacher, and friend. He is survived by his daughter, Heather Porter and her husband Jay; his first wife of 40 years Sandy Roberts; his brother Paul and his wife Abby; his sister Barbara; and his nieces and nephews Holly, Taylor, Hunter, and Charlotte. He is preceded in death by his son Christopher; his parents Louise and Bob; and his nephew Derek. He is also preceded in death by his second wife Karen (Blowey) Roberts, and survived by his step-daughter Lisa Shrider, her husband Matthew, and their children Brianna Shrider, Jonathan Shrider, Stephan Rousseau, and Matthew Rousseau.
The family will gather privately to honor Ken's memory. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ken Roberts' name to the Alzheimer's Association at https://www.alz.org. Above all, the family asks that when you think about Ken, you think about his laughter, his humor, his smile, and the love he had for his family, friends, and students.
Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family at Kenneth’s Book of Memories page at www.j-ofunerals.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.
