Obituary of Roberta C Ambler

On September 30, 2021 Roberta C. Ambler, 100, of Pittstown, NJ, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly while doing one of the things she loved the most, enjoying her daily walk on a beautiful fall afternoon.

Roberta was the only child of Charles and Jennie, born in New Brunswick, NJ on Aug 1, 1921.  She grew up in Highland Park, especially enjoying reading, history, and music.  Not surprisingly, she graduated as class valedictorian from Highland Park High School in 1939.  Upon graduation from the New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College, part of Rutgers University) in 1943, Roberta went to work for General Foods in Hoboken as one of only a handful of women chemists.  Some of Roberta’s work involved research on how to best package and store coffee to keep it fresh and flavorful for our soldiers during the war. 

Roberta met her husband Walter in Highland Park, where they grew up in the same neighborhood and knew each other from childhood.  They were married in 1950.  Upon graduation from dental school in 1952, Walter started his own dental practice in Highland Park, with Roberta working occasionally as his dental assistant and managing their taxes and books.  Behind the dental office was an apartment in which they lived until they built a home in Edison in 1955, where Roberta eventually became a stay-at-home mom. The couple moved from Edison to Bridgewater in 1997, and then eventually to Rossmoor in Monroe Township in 2004.  Walter passed away in 2010. Since January 2020, Roberta has resided in Pittstown, NJ with her granddaughter Erin (a nurse) and her family.

The couple loved music and instilled that appreciation in their children who remember singing at home as well as in the car on road trips. She learned to play the piano at a young age.  Active and aware to her last moment, Roberta loved music, community service, gardening, nature, birding, and the out of doors, and instilled those loves in her family.  She was a member of Girl Scouts of America, PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization), Quiet Hour, and various churches over the years, most recently Rossmoor Community Church, Bible studies, Choir, handbell choir, and clubs.  Even though she lived in Pittstown for the past 18 months, she was still an active member in Rossmoor Community Church activities via Zoom.  Over the years Roberta served as Church deacon and elder, Sunday School teacher, and leader and treasurer of various clubs and organizations.  She and Walter volunteered together for Meals on Wheels and Literacy Volunteers of America, and were active in their local AARP chapter and other service organizations. In addition to her clubs and activities, she enjoyed crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, games, reading, photography, and knitting, often knitting hats and mittens to donate to those in need. 

For her 100^th birthday in August, family and friends gathered from as far away as Spain, Denver, South Carolina and Vermont to enjoy her company and celebrate her life and her blessed and wonderful milestone.

While we mourn the loss of this precious life, we know that she is in heaven in the presence of Jesus and her beloved husband.  Roberta is survived by her loving and close-knit family: three children, Bobbi (and husband Glenn, South Carolina), Nancy (and husband Art, here in NJ), and Dave (and wife Lola, residing in Spain), eight grandchildren, Pattie (m.Jake), Erin (m.Caleb), Josh (m.Jess), Lisa (m.Tony), David, Jon, Katie, Ben, eight beloved great-grandchildren (Tyler, Aidan, Anna, Landon, Remy, Carter, Belle, Claire), one niece (Jenifer) and one great niece (Kate-m.Darren). 

The family appreciates so much your love and prayers.  If you wish to make a donation in Roberta’s name, please consider the New Jersey Audubon Society, a cause dear to her heart.