High

Roberta Gayle Reeves High passed away Sunday morning, Feb. 5, 2017, at the Tobacco Root Care Center.
Roberta High was born Nov. 7, 1936, in Billings, Mont., to Howard and Mildred Reeves. Her younger years were spent in Columbus, Rapelje and Alder, Mont. She attended high school in Sheridan, Mont., graduating in 1954.
She married David Graham in 1955. After divorcing, she married Emerson “Jiggs” High in 1958. Roberta and Jiggs both worked at the Montana Children’s Center from 1963 until the closure of the facility in 1975. She developed a reputation as a remarkable cook at the Children’s Center and was hired as the head cook for the Twin Bridges Schools in 1975. She managed the duties of head cook at Twin Bridges Schools for 12 years.
In 1987, Roberta married Gary Howells. They spent the summer months in Twin Bridges and winters in Richmond, Calif., where she helped Gary build custom split bamboo fly rods. She divorced and moved back to Montana permanently upon the news of her sister, Lila Reeves Gee, becoming terminally ill with cancer.
Roberta lived with her sister Lila and Lila’s husband, Elmer Gee, at their home in Rapelje, Mont., where she helped care for Lila and then Elmer until his passing in 2003. Roberta returned home to Twin Bridges where she worked at the Twin Bridges Public Library for several years until retiring in 2009.
Roberta was an avid reader and loved to read books on a wide variety subjects. She preferred to read the book on a story versus watching the movie of the same story. Her other interests included canning, gardening, making candy, and completing crossword puzzles. Her homemade noodle dinners were very popular with family and friends. She loved going camping with her family and taking long drives in the mountains.
Roberta also enjoyed traveling to visit her relatives and friends in Canada. She recently celebrated her 80th birthday party with numerous family and friends where she enjoyed sharing stories and conversation. Roberta especially valued the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Emerson “Jiggs” High, her parents, sister Lila and her husband Elmer Gee of Rapelje, Mont., and brother Phillip “Bud” Reeves of Dillon, Mont.
She is survived by her sister Joanne Brown of Butte, Mont., sister-in-law Bessie Reeves, brother-in-law Delbert and sister-in-law Janice High of Belgrade, Mont., Margie McDonald of Cheyenne, Wyo., son and daughter-in-law Dan and Sherrie High of Twin Bridges, Mont., son and daughter-in-law Jay and Debbie High of Knoxville, Tenn., grandsons Colt High of Twin Bridges, Mont., Tyler and Joshua High of Knoxville, Tenn., granddaughter Laci and her husband Scott Holbrook of Twin Bridges, Mont., great-grandsons Rhett and Emmett Holbrook of Twin Bridges, Mont.
Please make memorials to the Twin Bridges Public Library or American Legion Post #31. The family would like to thank the Tobacco Root Care Center staff and the Ruby Valley Hospital for their patience and dedication.
Roberta was a daughter, sister, sister-in-law, wife and mother of military veterans and had a deep patriotic loyalty to both the community and country. Roberta was known for her sense of humor and very outspoken nature. She always enjoyed sharing a story with friends and family.
Memorial services were held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the K & L Mortuary of Twin Bridges and burial took place at the Twin Bridges Cemetery.