In Loving Memory of Thomas E Roberts

In Loving Memory

Thomas E. Roberts, lovingly known as Tom, Tommy, or "Train", passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the age of 71.

Tom grew up in Akron, attended Buchtel High School, and built friendships there that lasted a lifetime. He worked for many years as a drywaller, a trade that reflected his strong work ethic and dedication, before becoming a driver for Marhofer in recent years.

Tom had a deep passion for sports both as a fan and as an athlete, participating in softball, golf and boxing, and even knocked out former Heavyweight Champion Michael Dokes in a sparring session. He was a devoted fan of the Browns, Indians, Cavaliers and his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes. His enthusiasm was contagious. Whether he was talking sports, driving full length NASCAR video game races, or wheezing at funny videos, he always connected with the people he loved.

Tom found peace and joy in the great outdoors. He was an avid hunter and fisherman who cherished early mornings in the deer stand and quiet afternoons on the water. Summers spent boating and fishing on Portage Lakes with his family were some of his most treasured times. He also carried a deep love for music, which was woven into so many memories with those closest to him.

Above all, Tom was a loving father and a proud grandfather. He taught his children what it meant to never give up, to work hard, and to care deeply for family. His laughter was infectious, his loyalty unwavering, and he had a gift for making everyone feel welcome and valued. His warmth touched everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Carol Roberts (Patterson). His legacy lives on through his children, Nicole Ball (Roberts) and her husband Christian, Massimo, and Olivia; his grandson, Noah; and his siblings: his twin sister Robin, Merle, Gwili, Kimberly, and Michelle.

Tom will be cremated, and a celebration of life will be held for family and friends to honor his memory, share stories, and celebrate a life filled with laughter, love, and connection.

A good man's life does not end; it continues in the strength and character of those he left behind.

Our Favorite Memories

From Nicole

"Growing up with my dad was always about finding ways to make small things fun. We would drive out to portage lakes for ice cream. We would get tours of the fancy neighborhoods and the houses he was working on. We would go to new cool places to fish. My dad definitely was meant to be a boy dad and I tried to fill that void but usually ended up getting on his nerves whining about bugs and refusing to take the fish off the hook myself. My dad had a nickname for everybody. I definitely had a few but Trixie was the most common. Chris was snowball or snowy. When my dad wasn’t making things super fun he was making me laugh. Whether teasing me or my mom or making funny faces.

Some of the things I will miss most about my dad was how he always protected us. Never afraid to get into a fight to protect his family. He was also always reliable. I could call at 6 am needing a ride or someone to talk to while I walked in or out of work in the dark. When I was upset my dad was upset, matching whatever my mood was. One important life lesson I carried through life with me was that my parents wanted better for me than they did or they had. This has been the tone for me and my life. Always wanting to do more or be better than I was the day before. I hope I also instilled that value into my own child. I know that my dad was very proud of how his kids tuned out and I will continue to live my life everyday hoping that my dad is still proud."

From Massimo

"With my dad, I would like to say what we bonded over most was football. Without my dad I don’t think I would even know what a touchdown was. As I was younger a football game was always on and I began to know the basics, I remember the first time I asked him how much a touch down was worth. After that football pretty much turned into a life style all because of 1 person. My favorite team was the Browns, his was Ohio state. I loved when we cheered for the Buckeyes together but when it came to the Browns it was always a different story. He would talk about the bad stuff and when they were getting beat up, he would turn the game off but me on the other hand, I would always bring up the good and talk about how I still had faith and what I think they needed to do to be better the next week. He always just laughed and said nothing will help them. But for some reason he always stayed a loyal fan. That is where I learned my first lesson from him and that is loyalty.

When my senior football season rolled around, me and my dad striped my helmet together, we couldn’t wait for the season to arrive, he had been to all 29 games leading up to that and this upcoming year was the one we all looked forward to! I made it my goal to start and when I achieved it he was so proud and I could tell because he always showed people pictures. Senior night was a very special night but not just for me, also for him because it showed all the hard work put in and the countless hours he has told me what I needed to do to be a better offensive lineman. That’s when I really when I saw the love he had and how much he truly cared and wanted to see me succeed! He told me this was his favorite season ever and I won’t ever forget that! I will also never forget the many hilarious stories he told me, whether it was his softball stories or his fights. I’m gonna miss hearing those because I’m sure I only know a few out of very many. I’ll never forget the countless memories we had! I hope he’s looking down on me and I can still continue to make him proud more and more every day! "

From Olivia

"My favorite memory about my dad is how he always showed me what it means to never give up. He taught me important life lessons and encouraged me to keep trying even when things felt hard. He believed in me no matter what, which helped me believe in myself too. He showed up to all of my track meets and stayed until the very end just to support me. When he couldn't make it, he always checked in to make sure everything was "good in the hood," which always made me smile.

My dad was always there for his family and pushed everyone to try their hardest. He brought laughter, love, and joy into every room and made people feel comfortable just by being there. I looked up to him more than anyone because he showed me what it means to be strong, brave, and kind. He taught me the importance of showing up, working hard, and caring deeply for the people you love, and those memories remind me how lucky I was to have him."

From Noah

"When Poppa lived with us, we watched Trailer Park Boys every single night. He would laugh until he was wheezing and his face turned beet-red, and whenever he sent me a video I would picture him laughing like that and it would make it ten times better. We spent countless hours playing Madden, he always played as the Browns, while I played as the Bengals. He was worried my dad's side of the family would turn me into a Bengals fan that he eventually 'allowed' me to start playing as the Browns.

I couldn't imagine a better way to have unknowingly spent our last day together. I got takeout from his favorite 'fine dining' establishment, Buffalo Wild Wings, and we watched the Browns be the Browns together before I texted him how many deer I saw on my drive back to New Jersey. He was a simple man who brought so much joy into my life, and I will miss him every day. He never quite understood what I did as a software engineer, but I hope he's proud of this site I built to keep his memory alive. Cheers, Teammate."