Roberta LaBelle (Wells) Melsha, 74, of Keizer, Oregon, formerly of Cedar Rapids, was born to Garold and Frances Wells on August 24, 1946 in Monticello, Iowa.  Roberta passed away on September 18, 2020 in Portland, Oregon.  A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Monday, September 28 ^th at the Keizer Funeral Chapel in Keizer.  Graveside services will be at 2:00 P.M. Friday, October 2 ^nd at the Czech National Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those attending the graveside services are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.  Papich-Kuba Funeral Service is handling local arrangements.

Roberta graduated from Washington High School, Cedar Rapids in 1964.  She married James Allen Melsha on July 31, 1965 at Calvary Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids and they recently celebrated their 55 ^th wedding anniversary.

Roberta and James moved to Keizer, Oregon where she worked in the bakery for Albertson's Grocery Stores for 25 years.  Roberta had many interests which included knitting, baking, cooking, reading and travelling.  Her passion was her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her three dogs-Kitty, Sandy and Fredie.  Roberta was known for her caring and generous heart and she showed her family the true meaning of love.  Roberta always said, "Someday I will walk again".

Roberta is survived by her husband, James Melsha; daughters, Jennifer Berry (Robert) of Salem, Oregon and Tonia Brechtel (Michael) also of Salem; 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; sisters, Rosalee (Terry) Petersen, Patricia (Lyle) Theisen, Susan Whitfield and Jayne (Gary) Williams; step-sisters, Marcia (Roger) Boyles and Sue (Jerry) Flickenger; step-brothers, Randy (Linda) Wells and Steven (Deb) Wells; sister-in-law, Mary Wells, and many, many nieces and nephews.

Roberta was preceded in death by her mother, Frances Roberta (Barlow) Wells and father, Garold William Wells; stepmother, Joyce Marie Wells; sister, Karrie Wells; and brothers, William Thomas Wells and Frank Eugene Wells.