Roberta Jean Motz

Roberta “Bobbie” Motz passed away peacefully at the age of 93 in Hendersonville, Tennessee

on December 10, 2025. She devoted her life to her children and grandchildren as well as her

lifelong love of music. She will be forever remembered for her exquisite piano and organ talents

over a 50 year career teaching piano and serving as the church organist.

Born Roberta Jean Young in Elkhart, Indiana on November 1, 1932 to Robert C. and Audrey

Young, she developed her love of music at an early age playing piano with her older sister

Suzann. She excelled academically graduating as the Valedictorian from Elkhart High School

in 1950. She attended Oberlin College earning a Bachelor in Music degree in 1954. She then

obtained a Masters of Fine Arts at Ohio University in 1956. She went on to teach piano at the

University of Michigan.

She married Kaye L. Motz on June 14, 1959 in Elkhart, Indiana and moved to Ponca City,

Oklahoma in 1960 where she lived for over fifty years. They attended St. Paul’s United

Methodist Church and she was “drafted” to be the pianist as they did not yet have an organ.

Upon the completion of the new church building, Bobbie taught herself how to play the organ

and continued to play the organ for the church until 2012 when she gave a farewell

performance to everyone’s delight.

She was a well known piano teacher for many children in Ponca City for over forty years. She

was a longtime member of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and worked tirelessly

with the Ponca City Community Concert Series to promote arts and music. As an

accomplished concert pianist, one of her greatest joys was performing with her piano quartet

at many events and competitions.

She is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law Dr. Cary and Kimberly Motz of Lone

Tree, CO and Dr. Gregg and Jennifer Motz of Gallatin,TN as well as her four grandsons Carter

(Scottsdale, AZ), Andy (Denver, CO), Tate (Jacksonville, FL) and Jake Motz (Nashville, TN). She

was preceded in death by her husband Kaye and son Kevin.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to either MD Anderson Cancer Center,

P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 (gifts.mdanderson.org) or St. Paul’s United Methodist

Church, 1904 N Pecan Rd, Ponca City, OK 74604.