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Roberta Frances Owens,77, formerly of Hawley died Sunday at Allied Services Nursing Center, Scranton.

Ms. Owens, the only child of physician Dr. Hobart N. & Paulyne Hann Owens, was born June 20, 1937, in Scranton. As a young girl, she spent her summers at Camp Oneka, in Tafton.  She was the valedictorian of the Class of 1955 at Hawley High School.  Roberta received an Associate Degree from Mount Vernon Junior College, now part of Geroge Washington University, Washington, D.C. and  received her Bachelor’s Degree from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA.

Roberta was a member of The Experiment in International Living and spent the summer of 1959 in Verona, Italy.  She was also a graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School in New York City.

She lived in worked in Manhattan for 31 years at various companies. She had a very diversified career during her years in New York City.  Her longest tenure was at the Rockresorts, Inc. the resort group that was owned by Laurance S. Rockefeller. After returning to her family homestead in Hawley in 1991, she became a licensed insurance agent.  She ended her working career as the Gift Shop Manager at The Dorflinger Glass Museum in White Mills.

Roberta was an avid and voracious reader and crossword puzzle fanatic. Her Sundays were not complete without The New York Times Crossword Puzzle. She loved word and card games, and was an accomplished knitter. She loved to travel and see new things. She was well known for her love of Boston Terriers, the color purple and chocolate. Her friends found her interesting, fun and a good traveler. Roberta was also known for her intellectual curiosity and generosity to others. She was a dependable and loyal friend.

She was a member of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City.  In accordance with her wishes, there will be no public funeral service. Ms. Owens will be entombed with her parents at The National Memorial Park, Falls Church, VA.

After the death of her father, Roberta, friends and family of Dr. Horbart N. Owens set up a memorial fund in his name that has been giving out nursing scholarships since 1980 at Wallenpaupack Area High School.  She was the secretary of this Memorial Fund for 31 years. In 2011, the Board of Directors decided to give the Memorial Fund to the University of Scranton to be administrated by their Scholarship Committee in Perpetuity.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Dr. Hobart N. Owens Memorial Fund, University of Scranton, Department of Nursing, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510-4595.

Funeral arrangements by the Oliver Shifler & Scotchlas Funeral Home, Inc.   62 N. Main St., Carbondale.