Ray Roberts

Herbert Ray Roberts (March 28, 1913 – April 13, 1992) represented Texas's 4th congressional district from 1962 to 1981. Roberts was a Democrat.

Roberts was born in rural Collin County, Texas in 1913. He grew up in the ranching town of Westminster, Texas, just outside McKinney.

Roberts graduated from McKinney High School. He attended Texas A&M University and North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) before earning a bachelor's degree in agribusiness. Roberts earned his master's degree from the University of Texas. He served in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1945 and later saw active duty in the Korean War while as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve.

Roberts was on the staff of Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn of Texas, working in Washington, D.C., between 1941 and 1942 before going on active duty in World War II. After the war, he worked as a farmer and entered into agribusiness. He was a member of the Texas State Senate from 1955 to 1961, serving as the president pro tempore of the body in 1961.

Roberts was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-seventh Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sam Rayburn. He was re-elected to the nine succeeding Congresses, serving from January 30, 1962 to January 3, 1981.

Roberts was chair of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs from 1975 through 1981. He did not run for re-election in 1980.