Love Remains
In whispered winds, your laughter fades,
Like fireflies drifting through moonlit glades.
Each moment’s flicker lost with a fragile sigh,
As time weaves with threads of goodbye.
Through seasons’ change, your smile, but a ghost,
From tender memories, I cherish most.
Though days grow dim where our light still glows,
Love lingers warmly. In my heart, it flows.
Larry M Whiting
Obituary
Roberta Rae Whiting, born Roberta Rae Bruns in November 1942 in Britton, South Dakota, passed away peacefully, on December 3, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of love, resilience, and dedication to family and community. She graduated from high school in Oakes, North Dakota, in 1960, and shortly thereafter married Al Olderness, embarking on a journey that would see her nurture a close-knit family.
A devoted mother to her four children, Vickie Olderness, Brian Olderness, Jim Olderness, and Susan Bork, she also embraced the role of a caregiver by fostering three nieces, Maureen Schmidt, Lorraine Frojen, and Joan Nyhus, showcasing her boundless compassion and nurturing spirit. While raising her children, she pursued her academic aspirations, enrolling in Valley City State College, where she excelled in her studies, marking a significant milestone in her life.
In 1975, Roberta and her family relocated to Alaska, ultimately settling in the scenic Matanuska-Susitna Valley. She dedicated 23 years of her life to education, teaching primarily in first and third grades at Snowshoe Elementary. While she retired from teaching, the cherished connections she formed with her colleagues and students remained with her, reflecting her profound impact on the lives of those she taught.
In June 2000, Roberta married Larry Whiting, with whom she shared many joyful years. Her retirement allowed her to indulge in her passions, including golf, birdwatching, watercolor painting, and snow birding in Tucson, Arizona.
A celebration of Roberta's life will be held at 2 PM, on June 4th 2025, at the Palmer Golf Course in Palmer, Alaska, honoring the wonderful memories she created with family and friends. Instead of a funeral, we invite those who loved her to join in remembering a remarkable woman who touched many lives with her warmth and kindness.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Alzheimer's Resources of Alaska (www.alzalaska.org/ways-to-donate) in Roberta’s name.
Roberta is survived by her husband, Larry, her children Vickie, Brian, Jim, and Susan, five grandchildren and a great-grandson, as well as her extended family and friends who will forever hold her in their hearts.
Gallery
Videos
Memory wall
It wasn’t long before a basement was dug and the little house was moved over it and Uncle Orville added onto the little house where it stands today.
Lorraine, Joan, and I lived on the farm almost 6 years. I believe those 6 years made me who I am today. I guess you would call them one’s formative years. My morals and values were lovingly put upon me the years I spent on the farm.
Roberta, or Berta, as we affectionally called her, taught me many things: cooking, baking, sewing (which I hate!) ironing, (which I hate even more!!), laundry…..all the practical things one needs to know in life….all life skills. But she also taught me the intangible things like the importance of honesty, dignity, morality, perseverance, and family. I didn’t know it at the time, but in hindsight, I can see it now. What a great teacher she was!
One story I would like to share is one that became a life lesson accidentally:
It was probably the first Thanksgiving that was hosted by Roberta and Al in the “new house”. The turkey was cooked to perfection and was delicious! (It was back before there was a county extension office putting out important information.) Since the bird was fully cooked, it stayed out in the counter overnight. We had leftover turkey all weekend. Needless to say, we 6 kids all had food poisoning! It became precarious when we only had one working bathroom! I remembered that lesson well and I used this story when I taught my food safety class in Health!
To Vickie, Brian, Jim, and Susan: you are my brothers and sisters. Thank you for sharing your mom with us. It was so hard on us girls when we had to leave you. You are our family! To Larry: thank you for caring for Roberta for over 25 years. I’m sorry we didn’t have more time with you. God bless!
Love, Maureen
Donate
Together, let us continue the legacy of compassion and kindness that Roberta embodied throughout her life. (www.alzalaska.org/ways-to-donate/RobertaWhiting)
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