Born Phyllis E. Houlihan in Peoria, Illinois, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1944 and made her final profession in 1950. She received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Fontbonne College in 1958 and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from the University of Notre Dame in 1966.

In 1947, Sister Roberta began her ministry as a teacher at St. Edward School in St. Louis. A few months later, she began teaching at Our Lady of the Presentation School, followed by St. Thomas of Aquin School from 1950-51 and St. Anthony of Padua School from 1951-55, all in St. Louis.

She then taught in Chicago and in Wisconsin. In the early 1960s, she taught at St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Louis and in Denver. Sister Roberta returned to St. Louis, serving as counselor and teacher at Rosati-Kain High School from 1964-74.

For the next 38 years, Sister Roberta served in Peoria. She was a social worker at Catholic Social Services until 1978. For the next 10 years, she taught and was a counselor at Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute. In 1988, she began 18 years of service at Peoria Notre Dame High School as a counselor. While in Peoria, she served on many Cursillo teams and renewal weekends.

Sister Roberta retired in 2006. Since 2012, she resided at Nazareth Living Center.

Funeral arrangements are pending.