"Edo" to her loved ones and friends, was born on March 18, 1919, and left this earth to join her one true love, George "Spanky" Roberts on August 15, 2015, at the age of 96.
Edith was born in Gilliam, West Virginia and attended West Virginia State College, majoring in music and French.
While there, she met her future husband, George "Spanky" Roberts, who would go on to become the first cadet accepted into the program later known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and proudly becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
George could not be a cadet and be married, so at the end of the graduation ceremony of the first class of cadets, George and Edith were joined in wedlock. During their 27-year military career, Edith conducted numerous choirs, theatrical productions and taught English on Okinawa, as she traveled the world with her husband.
After his retirement from the military, Edith continued her education and received a Master's degree in Social Work becoming the first African-American Social Worker for the Sacramento School District.
Edith's love for the Tuskegee Airmen knew no bounds. When George passed away suddenly in 1984, after 42 years of marriage, she vowed to keep his legacy alive and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in the history books.
She shared her WWII newspaper clippings from the Black press of the Tuskegee Airmen's accomplishments and her own story with children and adults, alike, for over 30 years and is featured in many documentaries. To many, she is known as "The First Lady of Tuskegee Airmen" receiving many accolades and honors for her work.
Edith is survived by her children, George, Jr. (Katie), Lanelle Brent, Michalyn Green (Rick) and Leigh Roberts; grand-children, Richard Brent, Heather (Steve) Mercer, Joshua (Jolie) Roberts, Margaret Roberts Green, Zachari and Nathaniel Roberts; and great-grand-children, Kathryn and Lauren Mercer and Grace Roberts.
Viewing will be on August 31, 2015, at Mt. Vernon Memorial Park from 4-7 p.m. and her memorial service on September 1, 2015, at Valley Springs Presbyterian Church, 2401 Olympus Dr., Roseville, CA at 10:30 a.m. with interment directly afterward.
The George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., has established a scholarship in her honor.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Edith Roberts Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 15029, Sacramento, CA 95851. Edith was a wonderful, funny, kind mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was well loved and will be sorely missed, but is finally reunited after 31 years apart with her true love, George.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Aug. 27, 2015
Edith was born in Gilliam, West Virginia and attended West Virginia State College, majoring in music and French.
While there, she met her future husband, George "Spanky" Roberts, who would go on to become the first cadet accepted into the program later known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and proudly becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
George could not be a cadet and be married, so at the end of the graduation ceremony of the first class of cadets, George and Edith were joined in wedlock. During their 27-year military career, Edith conducted numerous choirs, theatrical productions and taught English on Okinawa, as she traveled the world with her husband.
After his retirement from the military, Edith continued her education and received a Master's degree in Social Work becoming the first African-American Social Worker for the Sacramento School District.
Edith's love for the Tuskegee Airmen knew no bounds. When George passed away suddenly in 1984, after 42 years of marriage, she vowed to keep his legacy alive and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in the history books.
She shared her WWII newspaper clippings from the Black press of the Tuskegee Airmen's accomplishments and her own story with children and adults, alike, for over 30 years and is featured in many documentaries. To many, she is known as "The First Lady of Tuskegee Airmen" receiving many accolades and honors for her work.
Edith is survived by her children, George, Jr. (Katie), Lanelle Brent, Michalyn Green (Rick) and Leigh Roberts; grand-children, Richard Brent, Heather (Steve) Mercer, Joshua (Jolie) Roberts, Margaret Roberts Green, Zachari and Nathaniel Roberts; and great-grand-children, Kathryn and Lauren Mercer and Grace Roberts.
Viewing will be on August 31, 2015, at Mt. Vernon Memorial Park from 4-7 p.m. and her memorial service on September 1, 2015, at Valley Springs Presbyterian Church, 2401 Olympus Dr., Roseville, CA at 10:30 a.m. with interment directly afterward.
The George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., has established a scholarship in her honor.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Edith Roberts Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 15029, Sacramento, CA 95851. Edith was a wonderful, funny, kind mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was well loved and will be sorely missed, but is finally reunited after 31 years apart with her true love, George.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Aug. 27, 2015
"Edo" to her loved ones and friends, was born on March 18, 1919, and left this earth to join her one true love, George "Spanky" Roberts on August 15, 2015, at the age of 96.
Edith was born in Gilliam, West Virginia and attended West Virginia State College, majoring in music and French.
While there, she met her future husband, George "Spanky" Roberts, who would go on to become the first cadet accepted into the program later known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and proudly becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
George could not be a cadet and be married, so at the end of the graduation ceremony of the first class of cadets, George and Edith were joined in wedlock. During their 27-year military career, Edith conducted numerous choirs, theatrical productions and taught English on Okinawa, as she traveled the world with her husband.
After his retirement from the military, Edith continued her education and received a Master's degree in Social Work becoming the first African-American Social Worker for the Sacramento School District.
Edith's love for the Tuskegee Airmen knew no bounds. When George passed away suddenly in 1984, after 42 years of marriage, she vowed to keep his legacy alive and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in the history books.
She shared her WWII newspaper clippings from the Black press of the Tuskegee Airmen's accomplishments and her own story with children and adults, alike, for over 30 years and is featured in many documentaries. To many, she is known as "The First Lady of Tuskegee Airmen" receiving many accolades and honors for her work.
Edith is survived by her children, George, Jr. (Katie), Lanelle Brent, Michalyn Green (Rick) and Leigh Roberts; grand-children, Richard Brent, Heather (Steve) Mercer, Joshua (Jolie) Roberts, Margaret Roberts Green, Zachari and Nathaniel Roberts; and great-grand-children, Kathryn and Lauren Mercer and Grace Roberts.
Viewing will be on August 31, 2015, at Mt. Vernon Memorial Park from 4-7 p.m. and her memorial service on September 1, 2015, at Valley Springs Presbyterian Church, 2401 Olympus Dr., Roseville, CA at 10:30 a.m. with interment directly afterward.
The George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., has established a scholarship in her honor.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Edith Roberts Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 15029, Sacramento, CA 95851. Edith was a wonderful, funny, kind mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was well loved and will be sorely missed, but is finally reunited after 31 years apart with her true love, George.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Aug. 27, 2015
Edith was born in Gilliam, West Virginia and attended West Virginia State College, majoring in music and French.
While there, she met her future husband, George "Spanky" Roberts, who would go on to become the first cadet accepted into the program later known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and proudly becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
George could not be a cadet and be married, so at the end of the graduation ceremony of the first class of cadets, George and Edith were joined in wedlock. During their 27-year military career, Edith conducted numerous choirs, theatrical productions and taught English on Okinawa, as she traveled the world with her husband.
After his retirement from the military, Edith continued her education and received a Master's degree in Social Work becoming the first African-American Social Worker for the Sacramento School District.
Edith's love for the Tuskegee Airmen knew no bounds. When George passed away suddenly in 1984, after 42 years of marriage, she vowed to keep his legacy alive and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in the history books.
She shared her WWII newspaper clippings from the Black press of the Tuskegee Airmen's accomplishments and her own story with children and adults, alike, for over 30 years and is featured in many documentaries. To many, she is known as "The First Lady of Tuskegee Airmen" receiving many accolades and honors for her work.
Edith is survived by her children, George, Jr. (Katie), Lanelle Brent, Michalyn Green (Rick) and Leigh Roberts; grand-children, Richard Brent, Heather (Steve) Mercer, Joshua (Jolie) Roberts, Margaret Roberts Green, Zachari and Nathaniel Roberts; and great-grand-children, Kathryn and Lauren Mercer and Grace Roberts.
Viewing will be on August 31, 2015, at Mt. Vernon Memorial Park from 4-7 p.m. and her memorial service on September 1, 2015, at Valley Springs Presbyterian Church, 2401 Olympus Dr., Roseville, CA at 10:30 a.m. with interment directly afterward.
The George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., has established a scholarship in her honor.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Edith Roberts Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 15029, Sacramento, CA 95851. Edith was a wonderful, funny, kind mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She was well loved and will be sorely missed, but is finally reunited after 31 years apart with her true love, George.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Aug. 27, 2015
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