Rex Roberts

Rex Forrest Roberts, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Taylorsville, Utah, on Tuesday April 2, 2024.

Born to Leslie Forrest Roberts and Belva Lucille Young Roberts on November 21, 1936, in Ogden, Utah, Rex graduated high school in Grants Pass, Oregon in 1956. He enlisted in the Army Reserves at 17 in 1953. In 1956, he enlisted in the Marines. At Camp Pendleton, Rex received orders to go to sea school in San Diego to be a sea-going Marine with the Navy.

After graduating from sea school, orders sent him to report to the Alameda Navy Air Station on the United States Aircraft Carrier Hancock CVA (Carrier vessel attack) where he spent 2 years aboard the Hancock Navy Ship. At the time, the Hancock was the most modern and biggest aircraft carrier on the West Coast. It was part of the Seventh Naval Fleet, out of Alameda California.

In those 2 years, the Hancock had two deployments to the Asia fleet. The first deployment stopped at the Naval Air Force base in Hawaii in Pearl Harbor for gunnery training (cannons) where Rex was assigned a gun mount, an open mount (which has no mount), five-inch thirty-eight cannon. His general quarter station was on the port AFT (on the left side of the aircraft). In between times, he was a ‘prison chaser’ before working his way up to managing prison welfare duties. He left Pearl Harbor for Yokosuka Japan Naval Air Base. From there, he was deployed to Hong Kong, and then onto the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines.

In 1958, for Rex’s second deployment, he went back to Japan the year the Hancock almost burned. He was standing corporate guard when one of the sailors must have displaced a wheel chock that hit a propellor. The wind from the aircraft blew the gas to the back of the ship where sailors caught fire. For Rex, the memory of watching sailors perish still brought tears to his eyes years later. He had thought he was going down with the ship. Rex was one of the crew on open mount 5” 38 navel gun. All they had was cotton for their ears and when the first gun went off, it broke his ear drums.

Rex loved to watch the aircraft land. He once saw a plane's landing gear collapse and the pilot ejected into the water, never to be found. In 1957 eight pilots were lost from accidents. In 1958 seven more pilots were killed in accidents.

While serving in the United States Air Force Reserve (USAFR), Rex had the opportunity to travel to many different countries with his expertise in sheet metal and aircraft mechanics. Germany was an absolute favorite - he loved the food, the culture, and the people. He also had many exciting, as as well as dangerous, adventures in Guatemala and Honduras, where he would sometimes pass as a local wearing a sombrero with his dark hair and deeply tanned skin.

Rex proudly retired with the USAFR as Master Sergeant with the 419'th Fighter Wing where he lost his hearing due to exposure to loud jet engines.

Rex also worked as a civilian throughout his life, a few were Young Electric Sign Company followed by Hill Air Force Base as a Aircraft Sheet Metal Mechanic repairing fighter jets and retired after 20 years. He then went to work for Aerospace Engineering. He was introduced to his coworkers sister and she became Rex's 3rd wife Joyce.

He placed great value on education and knowledge. He took pride in his work and received numerous accolades for his exceptional performance, craftsmanship, and leadership. He attended many other classes and training throughout his life, including SLC School of Electronics, Weber College, United States Air Force NCO Academy and others.

Rex deeply cared for his family, friends, and coworkers and enjoyed sharing food, drinks, jokes, and an endless supply of military stories. He loved showing off his tools and latest projects or home improvements.

He will be reunited with his sweetheart, Joyce Roberts, his parents, and a grandson. He will be dearly missed by his four children: Doug Roberts, Mike Roberts, Tori Penrod, Kristi Ericksen; five step-children: Lynnette, Alfred, Cheryl, Kriste, Cerelia; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; his sister Barbara Mesman; brother Larry Roberts; two ex-wives: June Baker (mother of Doug and Mike) and Lindy Dilworth (mother of Tori and Kristi); as well as his loyal dogs Scooter and Blue.

Services will be held at the Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary in South Jordan, UT on Wednesday, April 10th. A viewing will be at 10:00 AM, followed by a small service at 11:00 AM. Immediately after funeral services, Rex will be taken to the Utah Veterans Cemetery in Bluffdale, UT to be buried with full military honors.

A special thank you to Cerelia, Michael, and Addie for their many years of love, dedicated care, and listening ears. Rex loved and appreciated you!