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Roberta lived a life of quiet strength, deep loyalty, and remarkable capability.

Roberta Rae McKeegan (Kypta) lived a life of quiet strength, deep loyalty, and remarkable capability. Born in 1946—a year of renewal around the world and within her own family—she grew up in the rugged beauty of northern New Mexico. Her parents, Raymond James McKeegan and Ruth Irene Hughes (McKeegan), divorced early, and Roberta was raised primarily by her mother, a formidable and loving woman who ran a productive farm while teaching third grade in Cimarron. From her, Roberta learned resilience, competence, and the value of hard work.

Roberta spent her childhood in Miami, New Mexico, where she met Roberto Eduardo Kypta. Their bond shaped both of their lives. She taught him to drive, to ride a horse, to hunt, and to fish; he welcomed her into a large, affectionate family. His mother, Maria Cipriana, and siblings Ronnie, Stevie, Earl, Carmen, and Ruthie became her own. She loved them throughout her life and spoke of them fondly until the very end.

A proud graduate of Cimarron High School, Class of 1964, Roberta shared countless adventures with her best friend Yvonne “Tootsie” Trujillo—a friendship so enduring that she named her first daughter, Irene Yvonne, in her honor.

Roberta began her studies at Highlands University but chose to pause her education to become a mother. She later returned, determined and disciplined, completing her degree and embarking on work that would become her master’s thesis: a detailed documentation of the Maxwell Land Grant of northern New Mexico. Under the guidance of Dr. Robert Mistler, her research became an important historical record, now archived in the Highlands University library. She accomplished this scholarly work while raising three spirited daughters—Renie, Gina, and Jackie.

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Her green chili enchiladas were legendary.

After graduating, Roberta embraced a new adventure. She moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where she served for decades as a Ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There she built a rich community of friends—Bob, Rex, Lacey, Watonya, Margott, and Allen among them—and continued her lifelong habit of caring for animals and people alike. She ran a ferret rescue, welcomed stray cats, and opened her home to anyone who needed nourishment of body or soul. Her green chili enchiladas were legendary.

In Kentucky, Roberta flourished. She created a successful career, purchased and beautifully decorated her Southwestern‑style home, and pursued her many creative passions. She was a prolific reader, a skilled seamstress, and an artist who worked in oils, pastels, and watercolors. She crafted lifelike dolls, crocheted endlessly, and kept her hands busy with projects that brought beauty into the world.

Roberta was deeply proud of her Cheyenne heritage through the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes (Southern Cheyenne). She devoted countless hours to studying the history, traditions, and spiritual teachings of her people, embracing the culture with reverence and curiosity. This connection grounded her throughout her life. Her commitment and service were ultimately recognized when she was honored as an Elder within her tribe — a role of wisdom, guidance, and quiet dignity that reflected her deep respect for her ancestors and the enduring values of the Cheyenne people, including harmony with nature, community care, and cultural resilience.

After retiring—following open‑heart surgery—Roberta and her longtime partner, Elmo Guy, spent many joyful years exploring the Smoky Mountains on their Kawasaki Ninja 1000. Always curious, always delighted by history and culture, she traveled often to visit her daughters Irene and Jackie and grandchildren Meghan Renae, Joshua Matthew, Zia Cipriana, Orion Cipriano, and Evelyn Megan. She cherished meeting her great‑granddaughter Josie Scout, who shared her birthday, June 25th, and celebrated the birth of her great‑grandson Jonathan Abel.

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She devoted countless hours to studying the history, traditions, and spiritual teachings of her people.

When her health declined, Roberta moved to San Antonio, where she found renewed joy and belonging within Irene and Roy’s family. She loved local outings—restaurants, attractions, the aquarium—and continued her lifelong companionship with cats. Her beloved Crow, who had been her steadfast companion for many years, remained by her side through her final chapter. In a tender echo of their bond, Crow passed away just two weeks after Roberta, as if following her gently into the next place.

Roberta’s life was gentle, steady, and profoundly meaningful. She was soft‑spoken, quick to laugh, feisty when needed, kind, intelligent, strong, and forgiving. She raised her daughters to be fiercely independent, dependable, and contributing members of society. Her legacy lives in the resilience she modeled, the love she gave, and the quiet dignity with which she moved through the world.

“I wish we could keep you forever, Mommy, but that is not how this life works. Your life was beautiful, successful, strong, and deeply felt. I love you.”— Her daughter, Jackie

"My mom's life was full in every way:  shaped by the land that raised her, rooted in the mountains and mesas of New Mexico, enriched by family and service, and held gently in God’s hands.”  __ Her daughter Irene