John Carlton Roberts
Feb 10, 1930 – June 17, 2021
Carlton Roberts, age 91, went home to the Lord after months of health issues and Alzheimer’s disease. He was preceded in death by his father Riley Roberts, his mom Clorean Roberts, brothers Reymond, Hilton, Artis and Aubrey Roberts.
He is survived by his wonderful wife Kitty. His children are Connie (Steve) Tyus, Lynn Price, Greg (Traci) Roberts, Todd (Angie) Stephens, and Jan (Scott) Quigley.
His grandchildren are Jessica Lawrence, Jennifer (Tim) Ham, Jami (Chris) Dunsford, Jarett Tyus, Luke Price (Tiffany), Jeri Lynn Roberts, Jesse (Kassi) Roberts, Noah Roberts, Lannah Roberts, Lauragrace Roberts, Lindsey (JT) Harper, and Steven Quigley. Carlton also 20 has great-grandchildren.
His siblings are Margaret Porter, Dallas (Liz) Roberts, Myrtle Lewis, and Lois (John) Garner.
Carlton was born in the Abe Springs Community in Calhoun County and was the oldest of nine children. He joined the Air Force in 1949 and had served active duty for less than a year when he was given a hardship discharge to go home to care for his family after his father became seriously ill. He remained in the Air Force Reserve until 1955.
He married Earline Williams in 1953 and they had three children. He joined the Eastside Baptist Chapel, now Eastside Baptist Church in 1964 and was ordained as a Deacon on September 28, 1969. He served as an Active Deacon until he was named Deacon Emeritus on June 13, 1999. While at Eastside he served in various positions including church treasurer, teacher, and the volunteer music leader for 13 years. In 1981, he married Kitty Stephens and they just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this month.
Anyone who knew Carlton at all knew that gospel music was one of his greatest enjoyments. He sang with various local quartets and followed gospel music all over the panhandle. One of his favorite pastimes was to have the family gather around the piano or guitars and sing all day and all night. He also loved to fish, especially on the Chipola River and Ocheesee Pond near Grand Ridge. He would take family deep into the swamp, but we were rewarded with a catch of gigantic black bream.
Carlton is remembered by many as being an independent contractor and was the best local “floor man” in the county. He installed every kind of floor imaginable as well as cleaned and maintained them. He also was hired numerous times to refinish some of the wood floors in the area’s oldest homes. He worked at and retired from Sunland as the cabinet maker in the woodshop. Carlton loved working with wood and his children and grandchildren probably all have some homemade item crafted by his skilled and loving hands.
However, the most remarkable things about Carlton Roberts are his humility, love of everyday life and his love for everyone. He lived and died with no known enemies and no one that he ever spoke against. His strong and steadfast faith in God and Jesus Christ was the most obvious yet most simple part of who he was every day.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, June 22, 2021 beginning at 10 AM at Eastside Baptist Church with Revs. Greg Roberts, Bill Stephens and Dr. Sean Buice officiating. Interment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Gardens with James & Sikes Funeral Home Maddox Chapel.
Visitation will be Monday, June 21, 2021 from 5-7 PM At Eastside Baptist Church.
www.jamesandsikesfuneralhomes.com
