Roberta “Bobbie” Motz passed away peacefully at the age of 93 in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on Dec. 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 Nov. 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 50 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 40 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, Colorado, and Dr. Gregg and Jennifer Motz of Gallatin, Tennessee, as well as her four grandsons Carter (Scottsdale, Arizona), Andy (Denver, Colorado), Tate (Jacksonville, Florida) and Jake Motz (Nashville, Tennessee). 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 or St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1904 N. Pecan Road, Ponca City, OK 74604.
A family graveside service will be in Elkhart, Indiana, where she will be interred with her husband, Kaye, and son, Kevin, at Rice Cemetery.
Published by The Elkhart Truth on Dec. 15, 2025.
This obituary was published by Nashville Cremation Center.
This obituary was published by Obituaries provided free for the community.
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