Roberta Elsie Winifred Lomas (nee Bolshaw)
"Forever changed by who you are and what you meant to me"
Roberta was a beloved daughter, sister, life partner, mother and grandmother. She was born in India in 1942, whilst her father served in the British Army during WWII. She has 3 siblings, sisters Penny and Lyndie, and her brother Len, she is the eldest of the four children.
Many years later in England, she trained as a radiographer and worked in the Manchester Royal Infirmary. It was here that she would meet her life partner, Gerry. The two welcomed their first child, Richard, in 1966 in Manchester, before immigrating to Christchurch, New Zealand. Roberta and Gerry welcomed 3 more children, Vikki, Belinda and Robert. They left the city life to become pig farmers in Sheffield in 1974 where she was heavily involved in their community with Brownies, and the PTA at the children’s primary school. In 1979, the family moved to Australia where she returned to her work as a radiographer at the Royal Brisbane Hospital in the Chest Clinic, x-raying Government employees.
When the family returned to New Zealand in 1984, they bought and operated a corner dairy in St Albans for some time, before selling it and Roberta moved to rest home work, specialising in dementia patients for many years.
On August 2nd 2000, just a few days after his 66th birthday, Gerry suffered a heart attack and died at their home in Rangiora. This loss was immense for the family, and Roberta was devastated. She would often recall sweet memories of the two of them, and spoke fondly of the love of her life.
Mourning his sudden death and incredibly homesick for England, she spent the next ten years living in Amberley and Kaiapoi to be close to her children as grandchildren started arriving. She lived in Cass Street, opposite her daughter Vikki, until the 2010 Earthquakes forced them to leave their homes. Roberta moved to Papanui, where she spent the next 12 years.
In July of 2022 she was moved into Avon Life Care Retirement Home after shattering her shoulder in a fall. During this time she was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and her health began rapidly declining. She was hospitalised many times over the next 6 months before her passing in the Christchurch Public Hospital on Sunday January 15th 2023 at age 81.
She loved doing crosswords, art and crafts and had a great passion for reading. She was ‘Nanny’ to 8 grandchildren, who she loved dearly. Some of her favourite pastimes included watching the Tour de France, The Commonwealth Games, and she absolutely loved the Royal Family. She had a ‘tough as nails’ attitude, and was as stubborn as they come. She was strong headed, and wouldn’t take anything from anyone but she loved fiercely, and with all of her heart. She is greatly missed by all, but there is comfort knowing that she is now resting in peace.
Roberta’s life, in a printed book
We design every page from Roberta’s 28 photos. Make it yours, then order a copy for everyone who loved Roberta.
The world Roberta knew
Family milestones in gold, history for context
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