John Eugene Roberts was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to the union of Eleanor Easley Roberts and John Roberts on October 13, 1958. He was an only child, raised by his mother and stepfather, Linwood Gaynor.

John attended St. Mark's Catholic School. He then graduated from Purcell Marian High school in 1976. John then went on to attend Ohio University at Athens for one year. John worked several jobs after college until he finally began work at the Internal Revenue Service in Covington, Kentucky. He remained loyal with the IRS before retiring in 2019 after 32 years of service.

On November 5th of 1983, John married Deborah Baisley. They had one child, Keena Eric Roberts in 1985.

John was very attentive to his family - a good husband, father and son. He looked out for his mother until her death in November 2022. John dearly loved sports, especially basketball, which he played at Purcell H.S. He was also a distance runner, running everything from the 5K (3.1 mi) to the marathon (26.2 mi). He was a member of the Avondale Running Club and ran regularly with them and the Fab Five - Al, Arnold, his uncle Don, and his best friend, Wilbur Scott, who preceded him in death.

John and Keena frequented Allen Temple A.M.E. Church for years before joining the church in 2006.

John leaves members of his family: wife Deborah; son Keena; grandchildren, Kaseem, Kelsea and Kayleigh Roberts; stepsons, Sean and Shannon Bell; uncle, Donald Easley; cousins, Donna and Diana Easley, Sharon and Connie Glenn, and Dennis and Kameron Smith and many others who loved him and will miss him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Eleanor Gaynor; his stepfather, Linwood Gaynor; his grandparents, Cassius and Cassie Easley, and his cousin, David Easley.

In loving memory of a good man.