Former OHS Football star passes away.

Former Oceanside High School Football star, C.R. Roberts has passed away at the age of 87.
C.R. Roberts was inducted into  the Oceanside High School Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments. He was the first Oceanside High School athlete to make it big in professional football when he became a running back for the San Francisco 49ers.  After graduating from what was then Oceanside-Carlsbad High in 1954, Roberts moved on to the University of Southern California, where he earned a degree in business administration and continued his success in football. He still holds numerous high school and college football records.  C.R.  spent years as a high school and community college teacher. Now retired, C.R. stayed active working with senior citizens at the Community Guidance Center in Norwalk.  

Rodney  Miller, OHS Class of 1961,   was  recently  invited  to  be a guest speaker at a  private  memorial service for C.R. Roberts held at the USC campus in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 5, 2023.  This Celebration of Life memorial service was held for family, close friends and invited guests.

Following is the memorial tribute to C.R. Roberts that Rodney delivered at C.R.'s Celebration of Life at the USC campus on August 5, 2023:

Hello Everyone~My name is Rodney Miller.

I grew up in Oceanside,California and, like C.R., I attended Oceanside Carlsbad High School and was a Pirate. I am going to try and paint a very special picture of two young boys. The year was 1946 or 47. I was 5 or 6 years old. My parents had a home on the corner of Cleveland and First Street located directly across the street from the Oceanside train station. Funny, some of the things you remember when you're young. This particular day was warm. I wore shorts and I was riding my Tricycle on the sidewalk. Qut of the corner of my eye I saw this big boy walk across the street. The boy walked up to me and said "HEY KID DO YOU WANT TO PLAY"? I instantly said "YES". This boy was C.R. Roberts. WE played and played all summer long. Then one day C.R. took me to a small home close to the railroad tracks to introduce me to his parents. Even at this sweet young age I realized how special this was. C.R's  parents were wonderful. They were railroad workers and hard working people. I was fortunate to have met them.

As time passed, I have often reflected back to that Summer and to the first friend in my life, C.R. Roberts. We all know what kind of a man C.R. was. So I just wanted to shed a little light on what kind of a boy he was.  I thank God for letting me live long enough to tell this story~~

Once a Pirate always a Pirate.
Rodney Miller

Click here to read the Union Tribune article about CR.