Those who worked with four-term former Wrightsville Beach Mayor Avery Roberts, who died on Saturday, Jan. 16 at the age of 89, remembered an organized leader who had wisdom to share and the interests of the town residents at heart.
Roberts served as the Wrightsville Beach mayor from 1997 to 2005, after elected previously as a member of the board of aldermen. Roberts was at the forefront of battles over density and beach renourishment, said former mayor Bob O’Quinn, who followed Roberts into the mayor’s office and worked with him for several years as a member of the board of aldermen.
“He was absolutely friendly and gregarious and he liked politics,” O’Quinn said. “He had a great relationship with the staff and the town manager. He would listen when other people would not and take into account their views. He and I on occasion would disagree with one another, but he would listen to me.”
Town Clerk Sylvia Holleman also worked with Roberts, whom she described as organized and determined.
“He ran a tight ship. He liked to have the meetings well organized ahead of time,” Holleman said. “He came in during a time of transition, around when several storms had hit the beach, and he led us through it. He did a good job.”
Roberts declined to run for office after his term expired in 2005, moving to Landfall shortly thereafter.
O’Quinn, whose law office is in the Landing on Causeway Drive, said that Roberts applied a conservative viewpoint to his politics, where he sought to keep taxes and spending low. But he also lobbied on behalf of the town, making trips to Raleigh and Washington to help support beach renourishment funding.
O’Quinn also recalled Roberts’ involvement in density planning, including a fight between the town and the Holiday Inn over the resort’s proposed expansions, which O’Quinn said ended in a compromise.
“Avery taught me a lot about politics and a lot about how the government works,” O’Quinn said. “He was very in tune with politics.”
Current Wrightsville Beach Mayor Bill Blair also remembered meeting Roberts, whose advice he sought before deciding on whether to seek a seat on the board of aldermen in 2007.
“His knowledge of Wrightsville Beach’s history was informative, helpful and very impressive,” Blair said of Roberts.
Roberts’ obituary states that he served in World War II aboard the Liberty Ship SS Simon Bamberger in the Pacific theater. He lived for many years in Henderson, North Carolina, where he eventually retired in 1990 from Rose’s Stores as executive vice president.
He also served as chairman of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association and was a member of the North Carolina State Ports Authority. He received the Distinguished Citizens Award from the Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Roberts died in his home with family nearby. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sylvia; his son Jim, of Raleigh; his daughter Kim, of Clayton; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The Wrightsville United Method Church will host a celebration of Avery’s life on Monday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.
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