NORTHAMPTON — Whether it was helping to make birthday cakes or being called “Grandpa Paul,” Paul Roberts, and his wife Candy, often provided affection and attention for the children of family friends.

Paul Roberts, who died Nov. 21, is being remembered for the way in which he touched so many.

“They always go above and beyond to do the special little things that make a difference,” J.D. and Amy Ross of South Deerfield wrote in an email. “We could never say thank you enough or repay them for all the nice things they’ve done for us. We will miss him.”

For the Rosses, who remain close friends with Roberts’ sons Heath and Paul, there were numerous gatherings at the Roberts’ home in Northampton and a camp in Maine. The couple was also the first babysitter for their then infant daughter Bailey, who is now 9, and when Candy Roberts took up the hobby of cake making, the couple made birthday cakes for both Bailey and their son John, now 8.

The couple recently paid tribute to the memory of Paul Roberts with a donation to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, attaching a note reading “thank you for the love and generosity that you gave us and our children.”

Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the Toy Fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers worth $50 to qualifying families for each child from age 1 to 14.

To be eligible for the Toy Fund, families must live in any Hampshire County community except Ware, or in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury and Leverett, and in Holyoke in Hampden County.

A Northampton native who also lived in Hatfield, Roberts worked for many years in outside sales at Horizon Beverages, retiring in 2018 from Horizon Beverages in Norton. That company, founded by Bob Epstein, a marketing graduate of the Isenerg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, also made a gift to the Toy Fund in honor of Roberts.

Roberts’ obituary in the Gazette captures some of his personality. “Paul enjoyed anything to do with the shenanigans his sons were involved in from, truck pulling to turkey shooting.” That write-up also talks about the summers in Maine with their “campground” friends. “He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

Kimberly and Deane Messeck of Huntington are two of those who will remember how precious moments of life are after Roberts’ passing.

“Grandpa Paul, as our kids called him cared so deeply for those he loved,” Kimberly Messick said. “It never mattered if we hadn’t seen him for a week or a couple months, we always picked up where we left off. He always made sure we felt included and were part of the family.”

Those included birthday parties where Roberts would work the grill, ensuring everybody got enough to eat, and also treated everyone as family.

“Paul would reminisce and tell us all sorts of stories about his sons and make jokes about what we have in store for also having boys, especially when one of them was antagonizing the other,” Messick said. “He embraced our kids’ wild sides and loved their soft sides. He would smile every time he saw them. Paul was an incredible person to know.”

The following stores are participating this year: A2Z Science and Learning Store, 57 King St., Northampton; Blue Marble/Little Blue, 150 Main St., Level 1, Northampton; High Five Books, 141 N. Main St., Florence; The Toy Box, 201 N. Pleasant St., Amherst; Comics N More, 64 Cottage St., Easthampton; Once Upon A Child, 1458 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Plato’s Closet, 1472 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, 227 Russell St., Hadley; Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., Village Commons, South Hadley; The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Road, Amherst; World Eye Bookshop, 134 Main St., Greenfield; Holyoke Sporting Goods Co., and 1584 Dwight St. No. 1, Holyoke.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.