Cesarina Roberts

Cesarina Barasa Roberts, 92, died at home in Durango on October 8, 2012, after a brief illness.

Until July, she had maintained her independence in Surprise, Arizona, spending summers in Durango helping her sister Violet with the canning and being a worthy opponent at dice or cards. Mrs. Roberts was born on June 26, 1920, to early La Plata County homesteaders. Her father, Romeo Barasa, had immigrated from Quossolo, Italy, to Colorado in the late 1800s. After his first wife’s death and with three small children, he sent for Angelica Leonville, also from the same northern Italian village. In 1917 they married, and Cesarina was the second of four children born to their union. The day Cese turned 18, she left the ranch and joined siblings Delfina, Erselia, Paul and Armond in Southern California. In 1945, she moved to Texas and met her future husband, Paul Roberts; they were married on August 1, 1946.

Cese was known for her generosity and for her outspoken ways. Family members agreed that Auntie Ciz could be counted on to “tell it like it was”, whether you wanted to hear it or not. She enjoyed traveling, loved to laugh and entertain, never met a stranger, appreciated bridge and cribbage, but was a pinochle player extraordinaire. In 1990, she created the first Allison/Tiffany/Arboles reunion, which continues to this day. She and husband Paul loved to ballroom dance and could be found most Saturday nights dancing to the sounds of the big-band era. In recent years, her life-long appreciation for major-league baseball had her attending spring-training games in Arizona with family.

In the 1930s, Cesarina’s three-room Allison school provided classes through the tenth grade, so her education was considered complete at 16. In those days, there were no GED programs nor on-line opportunities. But with her adventurous nature and her desire to improve, she returned to high school when she was 37. She paid tuition for that opportunity and was shown no special favors. She accomplished two years of study in one year, midst hallways and classrooms with the teenagers, all the while keeping house and caring for her family. She graduated with pride and was much admired by fellow students and teachers for her commitment.

Mrs. Roberts was preceded in death by husband Paul Anthony Roberts, sisters Irene Perino, Delfina Barasa, Erselia Derby and brother Paul Barasa. She is survived by daughter Olivia Ann Reynolds, son-in-law Dallas Reynolds, grandchildren Codye Angelica and Nicholas Kent, sister Violet Piccoli and brother Armond Barasa, plus many beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

A family graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on October 13, 2012, at Greenmount Cemetery, Durango.