Roberta Edging

Eddy Arnold Enterprises

Roberta Gantzer Edging was born in Nashville in 1925, graduating from David Lipscomb High School,
where she excelled in the lost art of stenography. Following graduation, she found work as a secretary at a collections agency and later at the Dobson/Bainbridge Agency. She married Roy Edging in 1946, and for the next 18 years, she alternated between working at Guaranty Insurance/ Mortgage Company and Bransford/ Sharp Insurance Agency and rearing couple's four children. On
June 5, 1967, Roberta went to work for the legendary Eddy Arnold at his Brentwood office. Roberta not only cared for her four children and endured the loss of her husband, but she showed her acumen in the music industry time and time again as a loyal employee, the a confidante and, most importantly, a true family friend to the Arnold and Pollard families, even beyond the Country Music Hall of Famer's death in 2008. Although she proudly wore the title of secretary to Mr. Arnold for more than 40 years, Roberta kept his music career and various other business endeavors running like clockwork. From handling the books, interfacing with the record companies, publishers and managers to fulfilling fan requests and all other forms of correspondence, managing calls to and from celebrities and high-ranking government officials, Roberta did it all single-handedly with just a phonebook, a two-line telephone, a shorthand tablet, a typewriter and a great deal of pride. And even though they were of the same generation, she never referred to him as anything other than "Mr. Arnold."

Roberta Gantzer Edging died January 2, 2013