Deceased Principal Oliver Roberts honored as dedicated father, educator

AMMON — Friends and family remembered elementary school principal Oliver Roberts as a mischievous brother, a loving husband and father and a devoted educator.

“He loved teaching and being an administrator,” Roberts’ sister Monique Winn said of the 42-year-old Woodland Hills Elementary School principal, who died Saturday after a utility task vehicle he was driving rolled off an embankment in the Pebble Creek ski area south of Pocatello.

Hundreds of locals filled a church across the street from Woodland Hills in Ammon Thursday to commemorate Roberts’ life.

“He was an awesome educator with high expectations yet a humble attitude,” said Roberts’ other sister Carmen Manges.

Manges, Winn and fellow sister Tami Kress delivered Robert’s life sketch, which included the time, as children, he coaxed Winn into picking up a live snake that bit her.

“He said, ‘We won’t tell dad about this’,” Winn said.

Roberts spent the last five years as principal at Woodland Hills, in the Bonneville School District. His sudden death shocked fellow educators and students, who earlier this week honored him with messages etched in chalk on the school’s sidewalks.

“Thank you 4 being the best principal,” one student wrote.

Roberts’ father Bruce Roberts remembered his son foremost as a loving father, yet called Oliver Roberts a “friend, camping partner and confidant.”

“I want him back,” Bruce Oliver said.

RELATED: UPDATE: Community grieves after elementary principal killed in UTV crash

Due to a high number of substitutes needed because of the funeral, the Bonneville School District canceled all classes Thursday.

Local Firefighters hung a massive flag from a ladder truck in the Woodland Hills parking lot in Roberts’ remembrance.

Roberts’ family asked for contributions in his memory to be made to the Bonneville School District Education Foundation.

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on October 4, 2018. It is used here with permission.