John William "Bill" Roberts was born on March 21, 1919 in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. He received a B.A. from Ripon College in 1941, and served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946. He worked as a radio news reporter for WOC in Davenport, Iowa, 1946 to 1948, and he was a radio news reporter and television anchorman at station WMT in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1948 to 1958. From 1958 to 1972 he was the Washington Bureau Chief at Time, Inc., and from 1972 to 1973 he was the Washington Bureau Chief for McGraw-Hill. When McGraw-Hill closed its Washington bureau, Roberts joined Vice President Ford's staff in 1973. As Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President, Roberts assisted in planning media coverage of events involving Ford and was responsible for all media arrangements on vice presidential trips. Roberts was also involved in preparation of press releases, statements, speeches, and articles, and occasionally briefed the press. In the transition to the Ford administration, Roberts became Assistant Press Secretary to the President, 1974 to 1977. He died on May 3, 2000.
From the description of Roberts, John William, 1919-2000 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10575805
