Roberta Goldstein

Mar 18, 20210

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Roberta Goldstein

May 19, 1971 - February 27, 2021

Roberta (Blattenbauer) Goldstein, age 49, of Portland, OR, died unexpectedly on Saturday, February 27, 2021, at her home.

Roberta Lynn Blattenbauer was born May 19, 1971, the oldest child of Daniel and Colleen (Bement) Blattenbauer. She grew up in Waubun, MN, where she attended school and was very involved in band and choir. As a very independent spirit, she marched to the beat of her own drum. While in high school, Roberta pursued scholarships to further her education and dreams and turned her love for playing the flute into a full scholarship at Moorhead State University, where she earned a major degree in psychology and a minor degree in Native American studies. She was very fascinated by and had a lot of insight about the nature of mental illness, family dynamics and love. She was very proud of her Native American heritage, which helped shape her life path such as her close affinity with trees, water, birds...in a word, Nature.

After graduation, Roberta worked at several group homes in Minneapolis for developmentally challenged individuals. At Search Beyond Adventure, she took handicapped individuals on vacation to such places as New York City, Hawaii and the Bahamas. This work was not easy but was fulfilling for Roberta and fed her love of adventure.

After a few years, Roberta furthered her education to become a Dental Hygienist. She felt called to help Native Americans and bravely took on a new adventure to serve the Dine' people on the Navajo Reservation in Chinle, AZ. There she would meet her best friend and future husband, Jeffrey Goldstein, by the divine intervention of his dog, Sammy. Roberta and Jeffrey were united in marriage on April 22, 2007 in Belize. They lived in Humboldt County, CA before returning to the Navajo Reservation in Pinon, AZ. There, Roberta assisted in methamphetamine and suicide prevention programs and co-led a troop of Girl Scouts to foster the growth of young girls into strong women. Ultimately, Roberta and Jeff fulfilled their dream of retiring to Portland, OR in 2018.

Roberta loved her family very much and their concerns were her concerns. Her pets Sammy, Chloe, Pepper and Midnight brought her great love and joy. Roberta so valued her friends, who spoke and understood her language. They saw her beautiful soul and wanted to be near her. She valued loyalty and was a loyal friend. Her sister-in-law, Amber, and she became good friends, as they helped each other navigate choppy seas to see the world more clearly. They were wise, proud and supportive in their relationship.

Roberta enjoyed good food made from the heart and became a good cook herself. She had an assured eye for beautiful things and could have been an interior decorator or a fashion designer. Roberta and Jeff enjoyed traveling stateside and to foreign lands. She loved practicing yoga and meditation. She so loved to be by the sea or simply taking walks in nature among the trees, which freed her soul. She was committed to protecting nature. She deeply cared about the issues of women and believed all should be welcomed and accepted, be they black, white, Hispanic, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, gay, straight, transgender and everything in between. Roberta's powerful, wise and caring spirit will remain a blessing to all who knew her.

Roberta leaves behind her husband, Jeffrey Goldstein of Portland; her mother, Colleen Blattenbauer of Waubun; her father, Daniel Blattenbauer of Bemidji, MN; a brother, Andy (Amber) Blattenbauer of West Fargo, ND; aunts, Barb (Ed) Syverson also of Waubun, and Lois Bement of Detroit Lakes, MN; and several cousins.

A Memorial Mass will be held Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Waubun, MN. A Time of Gathering will be held Friday, March 19, 2021 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 6 p.m. at Anderson Family Funeral Home in Mahnomen. Inurnment will be held at St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery in Waubun.

Following all Covid-19 safety protocols, social distancing will be practiced, and all must wear a mask to participate.

Time of Gathering

Anderson Family Funeral Home of Mahnomen

Friday, March 19, 2021

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

719 N Main Street

Mahnomen, MN 56557

Prayer Service at 6 pm

Memorial Mass

St. Ann's Catholic Church

Saturday, March 20, 2021

10:00 AM