Roberta Wilkes Shive

Roberta Wilkes Shive, formerly of Big Spring, Texas, died on August 12, 2009, her 93rd birthday.She was born August 12, 1916 in Hunt County, Texas as the fourth daughter of Thomas Walter Wilkes and Carrie Bell George Wilkes. She married Edward Crittenden Shive on January 31, 1940 in Brookston, Texas. He preceded her in death on July 19, 1999.The youngest of four daughters, she started community service at an early age. Besides being the Salutatorian of Gober, Texas High School in 1934, she was active in dance, acting, basketball, cheerleading, and played the piano for church and other groups from age 3 to 90. Her family and friends named her "Pete" at an early age.She lived the major part of her adult life in Big Spring, Texas where her husband was an administrator with the Texas Education Agency. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Reba Thomas Circle, the Retired Teachers Association, After-Five Garden Club, the Big Spring Lions Club, and the 1948 Hyperion Club. She volunteered with the Big Spring State Hospital, American Cancer Society, the Big Spring Concert and Symphony Association, Senior Council to the Chamber of Commerce, and served as a Blue Blazer for the Big Spring Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years.She had a life-long career in the women's fashion industry beginning with sales positions at Lerner's in Dallas, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Norfolk, Virginia during the 1940's. When Pearl Harbor was bombed and her husband volunteered for the Navy, she followed him from port-to-port working in the clothing business. After the war she worked in fashion sales in Midland and Lubbock, Texas before moving to Big Spring. In Big Spring, she worked in sales and the production of fashion shows for Swartz, an up-scale women's design store. She was also a representative for Carlisle of New York until her retirement at the age of 74. In a newspaper interview at her retirement she stated, "When you work for years and dress everybody in town for parties, weddings and social events, you feel like you are a part of their lives. People will see me and remember me for that." To many she was known as "Shive."Since the death of her husband in 1999, she has lived in long-term care in Big Spring and Amarillo. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Edward C. Shive, and three sisters, Tressie McCullough of Dallas, TX; Opal McBroom of Leonard, TX; and Hattie Porter of Gober, TX. Survivors include a daughter, Charlotte Shive Rhodes and son-in-law, Anthony (Tony) Rhodes of Amarillo, TX; a grandson, Will Rhodes of Austin, TX; a granddaughter, Gainor Rhodes Davis and husband Dr. Derek Davis of Amarillo, TX, and three great-grandsons, Jagger Rhodes of Ft. Worth, TX, and Rhodes Davis and Van Wilkes Davis of Amarillo, TX. She is also survived by a nephew, Bill McCullough of San Antonio, TX and two nieces, Harriet Walton of Rowlett, TX, and Jarvis Salmon of Midland, TX. The extended family includes nieces and nephews from Wolf City, Mesquite, Dallas, Bonham and Commerce, TX, and Santa Fe, NM.The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made in her name to the First United Methodist Church of Big Spring, 400 Scurry Street, Big Spring, TX 79720, or the Amarillo Area Foundation ACE Scholarship Program, 801 S. Fillmore, Suite 700, Amarillo, TX 79101. Funeral arrangements are through Schooler Funeral Home of Amarillo and Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home, Big Spring, TX. The family will greet guests on Sunday, August 16 from 6-7 p.m. at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Big Spring. A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 17 at the Trinity Memorial Park Peace Chapel, Big Spring,Texas.Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com,