William "Bill" Enderle Roberts MD

September 29, 1932 - December 5, 2019

William Enderle Roberts A Mass of Christian Burial for William Enderle Roberts, MD, will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, December 9, 2019, at St. Rita Catholic Church with Rev. Scott Chemino and Rev. Craig Scott officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Memorial Park under the direction of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 8, 2019, and resume from 9:00 A.M. until 10:30 A.M. on Monday, December 9, 2019, at the funeral home. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 5:30 P.M. on Sunday, December 8, 2019, in the Kramer chapel. Dr. Roberts is preceded in death by his wife Maria of 56 years in 2015. William Enderle Roberts was born on September 29th, 1932 to the union of William Thomas Roberts and Bernadette Lucille Enderle. Bill enjoyed staying at his grandmother’s summer home on Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama. It was here that Bill developed his strong connection with the salt spray from the Gulf of Mexico throughout his life. In 1945, Bill joined the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia and lived this vocation until he decided to pursue a career in the medical field as a pathologist. Bill returned to the monastery for religious retreats throughout his life. Dr. Roberts remained a devout Catholic and devoted his time and resources to matters of the Church throughout his life. He contributed to the human condition in so many ways and the beneficiaries are all who come after and benefit from the works of a Christian with Christian motives. After graduating from Pre-Medical School at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, Bill married Maria Grace Parrino, the daughter of Peter A. Parrino and Genevieve Molone Parrino of Bunkie, Louisiana. Mr. & Mrs. W. E. Roberts then moved to St. Louis, Missouri where Bill graduated from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. Bill and Maria’s first child “Billy” William Albert Roberts was born while they lived in St. Louis. Dr. W.E. Roberts was then called to active duty with the Army under the G.I. Bill and Dr. Roberts, Maria, and Billy moved to Germany where their second child “Genny” Genevieve Mary Roberts was born. Upon returning to the states, Dr. Roberts began his residency training in pathology at the Veterans Administration Hospital and Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Dr. & Mrs. Roberts had their third child Peter Enderle Roberts while living in New Orleans. Dr. Roberts and his family then moved to Houston where Dr. Roberts completed his residency training in Pathology at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. Bill and Maria had their fourth child, Bernadette Lucille Roberts in Houston. The Roberts family then moved to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and finally settled in Alexandria. It was in Alexandria that Dr. Roberts established his practice and worked for St. Francis Cabrini Hospital as a Pathologist. Dr. and Mrs. Roberts had their fifth child, Rosemary Grace Roberts, in Alexandria, Louisiana. While at St. Frances Cabrini hospital, Dr. Roberts was instrumental in bringing procedural organization and technological changes beneficial to staff and patients. One of Dr. Roberts greatest discoveries was a rare blood disease that he named after the City of Alexandria. Dr. Roberts also published a Latin Study Guide for Medical Students so they could better understand medical terminology. Dr. Roberts had a passion for art. His collection included prints, stone sculptures, wood carvings, oil paintings, and bronze castings. He spent any available spare time he could find in the pursuit of knowledge reading books related to Catholicism, art, and medicine. Dr. Roberts was able to realize his lifelong dream of sailing his own sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico and made trips to Cuba, Mexico, and other Gulf of Mexico destinations. Dr. Roberts extensive career has included several memorable accomplishments including being a graduate of Spring Hill College and St. Louis University School of Medicine. He also completed residency training in pathology at the Veterans Administrative Hospital and Charity Hospital in New Orleans, as well as, The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. Additionally, Dr. Roberts was a diplomat of the American Board of Pathology, the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, and a Fellow in the American Society of Clinical Pathologist and the College of American Pathologist. He was a member of the Louisiana State Medical Society, the Louisiana State Pathology Society, the Rapides Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the North Louisiana Health Systems Agency. Dr. Roberts was also certified in Cytopathology by American Board of Pathology and served as Assistant Coroner in Rapides Parish. In 2017, Dr. W. E. Roberts married Janell Mertens Nelson Roberts and the two lived in great support of each other until his peaceful death at home. Bill and Janell had some of the best years of their lives together. They shared a life of love and gratitude for each other! Bill loved to hear Janell sing and play the piano and she did so out of Love, which lifted His Spirits. When they traveled, they shared with each other the joy they experienced while visiting new places. Rarely in a Lifetime does one get to experience two Great Loves, but Bill and Janell had Favor from God…..Our Gracious Lord provided a Beautiful Life for Them Together and They Knew It was a Gift! Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Janell Mertens Nelson Roberts; son, “Billy” Roberts and Joan Gottsman; daughter, “Genny” Genevieve Poteet and husband, Keith Poteet; grandchildren, Nicole Lynn Poteet Czarnowczan (Scott) and Danielle Grace Poteet; son, Peter E. Roberts and wife, Marie Roberts; daughter “Bernie” Bernadette Roberts, and daughter, Rosemary Carlino and grandson, Corey Carlino. Pallbearers honored to serve will be Peter E. Roberts, William A. Roberts, Frank Keith Poteet, Robin Stewart, and Corey Carlino. Charitable donations for Dr. Roberts memory can be made to the American Cancer Society at donate3.cancer.org. To extend online notes of condolence to the Roberts Family, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.