Martha (Tate) Roberts

Martha Tate Roberts passed away on January 19, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She will be deeply missed by her loving family. Born on September 19, 1941, Martha was the daughter of Alfred William and Edna Thagard Tate. Martha lived in the Washington D.C. area as a young child before moving to the Philippines in 1952 where her father oversaw the building of a VA hospital. Their family returned to the states five years later to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where Martha graduated from high school in 1959. She continued her education at the University of North Carolina and graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While in school she married Durward Thomas Roberts, Jr. (Tom) in 1962. After graduation, she worked as a floor and head nurse in Durham, North Carolina’s VA hospital, while Tom finished his Graduate Degree.  After his graduation from UNC in 1967 they moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Akron, Ohio. While in Louisiana and Ohio, she worked part-time as a nurse and earned a Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Akron before eventually teaching nursing at the university for around 15 years. Her students had very positive interactions with her because of her ability to respond to their needs.

In 1994, she and her husband moved to Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greene County, Georgia. She enjoyed watercolor painting, reading, sewing, and counseling for Christian Families Today. She was also a member of various churches and enjoyed singing in the choir. She is survived by her devoted and loving husband of 60 years, three sons William Thomas Roberts (Christine), John Tate Roberts (Karen) and Michael Todd Roberts (Angela), eight grandchildren Sara Roberts Travers (Sean), Hope Roberts, William J Roberts, Alex Roberts, Madison Roberts, Jordan Roberts, Austin Roberts, Rachael Roberts, one great-granddaughter Maeve Anne Travers, a sister Carol Tate Bufton and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Martha and Tom’s local hospital which they were instrumental in building: St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro, GA https://www.stmaryshealthcaresystem.org/foundations/good-samaritan-foundation/

Address: 5401 Lake Oconee Parkway, Greensboro, Georgia 30642-4232

Donations can also be made directly to the St. Mary’s Athens Alzheimer’s & Dementia Fund: https://donate.stmarysathens.org/donation

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, January 27, 2023 at 4:00 PM at the Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church on Scott Road in Putnam Co. GA. Please celebrate Martha by wearing a touch of royal blue or Fuschia pink, her two favorite colors.

McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

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