Roberta J. Sherlock, 88, a former Long Island resident of 82 years, died peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at her home in Bedford, NY.

Born Roberta Jean Boccafola on October 1, 1937, in Huntington, NY to her late parents Matty and Della, Roberta was a top student at St. Hugh’s and then St. Dominic’s High School, the latter from which she graduated with honors in 1955. That same year, Roberta was married to the love of her life, the late Jack Sherlock, a high school English teacher, track coach, and college professor. Jack and Roberta were a devoted couple, married for almost sixty-four years until Jack’s passing in 2018. While raising her family, primarily in Commack, NY, Roberta pursued her college and then graduate education in what she described as the most beautiful language, French. Roberta taught high school French from 1973-2001 on the South shore, first at St. John the Baptist in West Islip and then in Sayville.

Roberta’s nearly three decades’ career as a French teacher, while both accomplished and impressive, paled in comparison to the skills she displayed in her lifelong vocation of mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Roberta is survived by her large and adoring family: seven children, John P. III (late Elizabeth, née Jones), Ellen Marie, Kevin James (Randy, née Adonailo), Robert Francis (Pamela, née Pomfret), Richard Andrew (late Anja, née Hirsch), Christopher Michael (Linda, née Migliore), and Elizabeth Anne O’Shea (John); nineteen grandchildren, J.P. IV, Andrew, Ryan, Brendan, Michael, Matthew, Taylor, Patrick, Justin, Kelly Anne, Timothy, Sean, David, Chris, Christopher, Jr., Kyle, Kevin, Megan, and Colleen; and six great grandchildren, J.P. V, Parker, Xavier, Hope, Christopher III (Tripp), and Ella. Although two expected great grandchildren will miss meeting Roberta, rest assured that they will be surrounded by loving memories and heartfelt stories of the beloved matriarch.

Services will be held at M.A. Connell Funeral Home from 2-4 and 7-9 on Friday, August 7th and at a funeral Mass at St. Hugh of Lincoln Church in Huntington Station, NY, at 9:30 AM on Saturday, August 8th. Roberta loved flowers—please consider sending an arrangement for her services.