Page 38 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Lubbock Online Magazine
P. 38

HONORING
                                                SMALL BUSINESSES





       Plumbers Shouldn’t





         Make Wise Cracks




       by Ted and Jody Wilson



               very Thursday morning
               at 6:30, a group of men
         Egather in the showroom
          of Roberts and Son Plumbing in
          Plainview, for a time of reflection
          on their walk with Christ and
          sharing prayer concerns.  This
          ritual has been ongoing for
          a quarter of a century.  Ron
          Roberts (not the KAMC weather
          guru) is the owner and operator
          of this business that serves
          Plainview and the surrounding
          area.

          Ron and his wife, Melveta,
          married just after graduating
          high school in Plainview, August    farmed on his own for another 15.    their equipment over to the FHA
          1967.  I (Jody) have known Melveta   They lived in Melveta’s parents’   and made provision to pay off the
          Bennett since the first grade at Ash   house and ran her hair salon     remaining debt monthly.  Over time,
          Elementary in Plainview. She and    business (Country Cutters) in a     they were able to pay back every
          Ron began dating in the seventh     refurbished granary in their back   dime.
          grade. Apparently, they were        yard.                               Ron’s father, Dee, suggested he
          smitten with each other because they   Beautiful twin daughters, Donya   try plumbing.  Dee had been in
          began saving up for their wedding   and Tonya, joined the family in     the plumbing business from 1954
          rings during their sophomore        1969. This family of four grew      to 1980. Ron had worked for his
          year.  Ron, an outstanding athlete,   in grace, even when the weather   dad during his school years and
          was offered a scholarship to play   didn’t cooperate by offering        had obtained his plumbing license.
          baseball for Sul Ross University, but   abundant harvests. Ron remembers   Ron didn’t want to be a plumber,
          instead of a bachelor’s degree, he   those farming days much as I do    but Dee said, “As long as there are
          opted for a husband’s degree with   - droughts broken by intermittent   homes and people living in them,
          the love of his life.               hailstorms and the occasional 100-  there will be the need for plumbing
          They began their life together in the   year flood. The weather that would   professionals.”
          rural community of Finney Switch,   excite Ron Roberts, the Lubbock     So, Ron took his dad’s advice, took
          six miles north of Plainview.  Ron   meteorologist, pretty much did in   over the Plainview business in 1985
          worked for Melveta’s dad on the     Ron Roberts, the Plainview farmer.    and earned his Master License by
          farm for a couple of years, then    Finally, Ron and family turned





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