Rita W. Roberts

Rita Willien Roberts, age 83, of Darlington, S.C. and formerly of Kershaw, S.C., faithful servant of God passed on to glory Friday morning, May 23, 2025, at McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee, Florence, S.C. Born in the Buffalo community of Kershaw, S.C. she was a daughter of the late Stoy William Roberts and Edna Marie Gardner Roberts.

A service of celebration and praise will be conducted from the sanctuary of Buffalo Baptist Church, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 3:00 P.M. Rev. Bill Morris will officiate. The burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The casket will be placed in the church sanctuary at 2:00 P.M. where the family will receive friends until 2:45 P.M.

Miss Roberts received her AA degree from Wingate Baptist College in 1963, her BA degree from Carson Newman Baptist College in 1965, her MRE degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1967 and her CPE degree from Georgia Baptist Medical Center in 1984. Miss Roberts was appointed to the International Mission Board, S.B.C., in 1971 and retired in 2004. She served as a Summer Missionary in Indiana in 1963 and Ohio in 1964. She served as an intern (Home Mission Board) NAMB at Rachel Sims Mission in New Orleans from 1965 to 1967. From 1967-1969 she served as Director of Youth Education, First Baptist Church, New Orleans and Director of Baptist Friendship House, Roanoke, VA from 1969- 1971. In 1972 she took an assignment to study language in South Brazil. She was Director Baptist Friendship Center, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil from 1973-1994 and served in Church Planting. She transferred in 1994 to Guyana, South America and served as Director of Christian Education and in Church Planting until 2000. She later transferred to Trinidad/Tobago, Caribbean Basin and served from 2000 until 2003 as Church Planter. She retired in 2004 and returned to her beloved home of Kershaw, S.C., where she was a member of Buffalo Baptist Church, Kershaw, before becoming at resident of the Bethea Retirement Community, Darlington, S.C.

In 1970 she was selected to appear in the 1970 edition of “Outstanding Young Women of America”. Miss Roberts received the title “Citizen of Sergipe” given by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sergipe, Brazil for 22 years of community service. This was a rare award for a woman, foreigner, and a Baptist to receive.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory, her brother, Arnold Roberts, her twin sister, Freda Robinson and her husband, J.B. and her sister-in-law, Shirley Roberts, all of Kershaw, S.C. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews who loved her dearly.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Doris Bradley and her husband Edward, 2 brothers, Olin Roberts and his wife, Verda and Carl Roberts and her sister-in-law, Faye Roberts.

She requested that no flowers be sent. Please kindly send a donation in her memory to the International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention.

Arrangements are under the care of Baker Funeral Home, Kershaw, S.C.