Gary was born on June 5, 1954, in Cullman, Alabama, to the late Hobart James and Lizzie Mae (Jones) Roberts. Gary is survived by three children: Gary (Ramona) Bonfiglio of Jupiter, Florida, Tracy Roberts of New Paris, Indiana, and Randall Roberts of Elkhart, Indiana; four grandchildren: Robyn McCarl, Tyler Bonfiglio, Rachel Bonfiglio, and Hailey Ramsey; two great-grandchildren: Jamison McCarl and Noah Bonfiglio; two siblings: A. James (Etrene) Roberts of York, Pennsylvania, and Donna Bales of Clarksville, Tennessee. In addition, several nieces, nephews, and cousins survive him. Preceding Gary in death are his parents, brother Thomas Roberts, niece Astrid Holt, brother-in- law Robert Bales, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom he remembered fondly.  Gary attended Elkhart High School and later received his GED through Elkhart Community Schools. In 1971 he completed basic training for the United States Army at Fort Polk, Louisiana. For over 20 years, he worked as an HVAC technician.

Gary took pride in his work and craftsmanship. He was skilled in carpentry and could always find a way to make something out of nothing. One of his many passions included restoring classic cars and transforming them into Hot Rods. Over his lifetime and with the help of his buddies, he worked to rebuild as many as he could, which included a 1957 Chevy for his cousin Jim Brown. His favorite restoration project was a 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible that he rebuilt from a hollow rusty frame and a few buckets of parts and gears. He also enjoyed collecting music and sports memorabilia, model cars, and other mechanical items of his interest. Above all else, Gary just enjoyed spending time in his garage tinkering with his stuff.

Following Gary's wishes, cremation has taken place. His remains will be interred with his loving parents and brother in the Garden of Liberty at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola. A celebration of his life will be held at a future date. Gary's children would like to thank the staff of Valley View Healthcare Center and ProMedica Hospice for ensuring he was made as comfortable as possible during his transition.

If you would like to make a tribute in memory of Gary Roberts, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana https://realservices.formstack.com/forms/alzonetime  or an organization of your choice.