- Date Of Birth: August 23, 1928
- Date Of Death: April 14, 2017
- State: New Mexico
Naida Roberts, 88, of Silver City passed away on Friday, April 14, 2017 at Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home in Deming.
Naida Jeannine Brown, the fifth of nine siblings born to William and Belle Brown, entered this world in Chama, NM on August 23, 1928 and found herself amidst a growing family who were living in a tent. The years preceding, and continuing throughout the “Great Depression” were difficult years for the family who found themselves drifting across the land, like tumbleweeds blowing on the wind. And as they drifted, William and Belle propagated themselves from Tucumcari, through Arizona, Colorado, Texas and back to Sulphur Springs, Colorado where thelast sibling was born.
The family was living in Redwing, Colorado in 1939. The local folks began to call William “Tex” since they had migrated from Texas. Tex formed a country musical band in attempts to feed his family. For the next ten years, they traveled across more than 28 states and parts of Mexico. Naida was a teenage trick roper, singer and harmonica player. She developed a lifelong joy of entertaining people. In Silver City, Naida met George Clay Roberts shortly before he entered the Navy to serve his country during WWII. The family was living in Estes Park, CO. when Clay was discharged. He headed for Estes Park where Naida was the Rodeo Queen.
They eloped and made their home in Silver City where they produced four children. “Naida Tilene” who died shortly after birth; three sons, Calvin, Gary and Aaron. Everyone loved Clay and was happy that Naida had found such a good man. However, Naida was restless and found it difficult to adjust to a stationary life of wife and mother. Those former nomadic years and difficult childhood experiences had made an impact on her life. She bolted and relocated to Colorado, leaving her family behind.
Clay remarried and provided a good stable home for the boys, but he died of a heart attack when he was in his mid forties. His new wife continued to care for the boys until they were all married. Naida returned to Silver City and attempted to re-connect with her boys, but the rift was too deep and her efforts failed. She became active in church activities all around the area and was active in several musical groups where she played her guitar, harmonica and sang. After living alone for the next 25 years, Naida suffered a stroke that left her permanently paralyzed from head to toe on the left side. During the last two weeks of her life she had been in an emotional turmoil from trying to reconcile past difficult experiences. She apparently made peace with her thoughts and gave up the ghost and died at the age of 88 at the Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home in Deming.
Naida is survived by three sons, Calvin, Gary and Aaron Roberts; five brothers, Cecil Ned, Buddy Lee, Dale Ray, Robert Earl and Roy Don Brown; grandchildren, Kelli Rose, Colleene Ryan, Clayton Vincent, Lindsey Megan, Christopher Michael, Dilan Taylor, Tyler Ward, Cody Wade, Tessie Lu and Renee Roberts. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Naida Tilene Roberts; sisters, Fay Kent, Lila Demaree; brother, Roland Brown and parents, William and Belle Brown.
