Roberta Overbaugh Northrup

ALTAMONT — Roberta Overbaugh Northrup, who was once an integral part of the Altamont Fair and a passionate country music singer, died on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, at her home in Converse, Texas.

Mrs. Northrup, known as “Bobbi,” lived in Berne and Altamont for most of her life.

She and her husband, Reid Northrup, opened Helderberg Appliance in East Berne, and later moved the store to Altamont.

She was trained as a bookkeeper, and also managed concessions for the Altamont Fair for a number of years.

“Bobbi’s greatest love was their country music band The New Arkansas Travelers,” wrote her family in a tribute. “The band featured her vocals, yodeling, and rhythm guitar, with Reid also singing along and playing bass guitar, with various musicians being part of the band through the years.”

The band toured Canada, and Mrs. Northrup was honored to sing at the Grand Ole Opry, her family wrote. She was selected Best Female Vocalist by Eastern States Country Music Inc., in 1973.

“One can still find their Tarot label record, Sunday Afternoon, on fans’ shelves,” her family wrote.

The band had mostly retired from singing by 1980, but made a special appearance at the Altamont Fair in later years.

Mrs. Northrup was a follower of NASCAR — Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a favorite — and, after moving to Texas, a big fan of the San Antonio Spurs.

She loved knitting, crocheting, making jewelry, and playing games.

Her final years were spent almost equally between Texas, Florida in the winter, and New York in the summer.

She is survived by her son, Tim, and his wife, Mary, of Summerfield, Florida; her daughter-in-law, Mary, of Converse, Texas; her siblings, Shirley Boehlke, and her husband, Orville, Ray Overbaugh, and his wife, Pat, and Pat Rapp, and her husband, Dick; her grandchildren, Stanley, Anna, Kenneth, and Gregory; and many nieces and nephews.

Her husband died before her, as did her sons, Terry and Ted.

Burial will be private at the South Berne Cemetery. Arrangements are by the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont.

Memorial contributions may be made to a local hospice provider of your choice.

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