Roberta Lee Harrison

Roberta Lee Harrison was born at St. Francis Hospital, Peoria, Illinois, on June 16, 1944, to Robert Myron and Irma Arnold Harrison. She passed away on December 12, 2024.

Roberta spent most of her childhood in Mt. Morris, Illinois, and later graduated from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois, in 1962. She graduated from the University of Illinois College of ACES in Child Development in 1966. She received a MS degree from Oregon State University in 1969 and a PhD from the University of Illinois in Early Childhood Education in 1978. She taught at the Child Development Laboratory at the University of Illinois and enjoyed training teachers to teach young children. She believed education was a life-long process.

After working on several university grants, she became a realtor and spent eighteen years helping buyers to buy and sellers to sell. Upon retirement she was given a life membership in the Champaign County Association of Realtors.

She spent many hours volunteering with Child Development programs and served on the Board of Trustees for the Wesley Foundation for twelve years. She enjoyed traveling and visited all fifty states. On retirement she spent eight winters in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with her significant other, Larry Dornacker, who survives.

She is survived by her brother Arnold Harrison of South Charleston, West Virginia, and a cousin who made her home with Roberta’s family, Faye Valbert (Paul) of Hendersonville, North Carolina. To Faye’s three children she was Aunt Berta: Jenny Cramer (Brian) of St. Augustine, Florida; Andy Valbert (Nathalie) of Steimel, Germany; Amanda Valbert of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also survived by numerous other cousins. She will be missed by many.

Donations may be given to the Wesley Food Pantry, 1203 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801. Graveside services and interment will be held at Grandview Memorial Gardens.