Pastor Emerita Betty J. Roberts, affectionately known as “Mother Roberts,” was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who shared her love with her family from generation to generation and extended it to encourage and strengthen many others. She was an anointed teacher, prayer warrior, creative administrator, and visionary architect of numerous ministries. Through a lifetime of sacrifice and service to God, she left an indelible mark on her family, church, and community.
Born Betty Jean Blackmon on July 10, 1940 in Caruthersville, Missouri, she learned the value of hard work and discipline at a young age. After facing the loss of both parents, she was sent to live with her grandmother, along with her two brothers whom she helped raise while attending school.
In the mid-1950s, Betty moved to Flint, Michigan to assist her grandmother's sister and became involved with Bethlehem Temple Church through her aunt. It was there, in 1956 during a summer revival, that Betty was baptized and received the Holy Ghost. Her journey of faith and service continued to flourish, eventually catching the eye of Edward C. Roberts in Sunday school, and they married on August 8,1959.
In her young adult years, Betty's commitment to her faith was unwavering. She immersed herself in church activities, serving as an usher, choir member, Sunday School teacher, and dining room assistant. Her exceptional talents as a writer and speaker were recognized by the late Sister Dorothy E. Scott, who entrusted her with the role of publications director and editor of the church's weekly bulletin. Betty served as youth chairperson for eight years before her husband took on the assignment, allowing her to focus on other areas of ministry. Both she and Elder Roberts worked together as prominent youth leaders at the district and state level for the P.A.W. The couple also ran a prosperous State Farm insurance agency together.
Feeling a call to the pastorate, Elder Edward C. Roberts and his wife, along with their two youngest children, moved to Charlotte, NC in 1981 to start Calvary Christian Church of the Apostolic Faith. In the early days, Sister Roberts even sold her own furniture to support the ministry. Serving as church administrator, she managed daily operations and also established daycare centers, private schools, and youth camps. She was deeply committed to the spiritual edification of young people, for whom she founded and administered a summer program known as Camp Holy Fire. She also started New Covenant Girls Preparatory middle school. Mother Roberts also had a heart for senior citizens. Striving to ensure that no senior citizens would be homeless, she spearheaded the construction of Living Waters, a senior housing complex on the church campus. This was done in dedication to her grandmother Elzena Jenkins.
A woman of many gifts, Mother Roberts excelled in sewing, interior decorating, cooking, and baking. She would often decorate one of the church member’s homes after they bought a new home or had an addition to the family. Mother Roberts’ culinary meals and signature Thanksgiving feasts garnered rave reviews. She generously shared her gifts with a broad audience through her entrepreneurial endeavors, such as Mama’s Kitchen. She was also a playwright, creating and directing productions such as the Resurrection play The Dawning of a New Day and When Momma Prays and Sings.
Mother Roberts had a love for children. She would often say, “I was orphaned as a young girl,” to explain why she was attached to children–so much so that she became a foster parent with Catholic Social Services. The staff were amazed at how the babies thrived under her care, and many of those whom Mother Roberts nurtured were later adopted. Those experiences as a foster parent were among her most cherished recollections, and the children she loved and cared for always occupied a special place in her heart.
Mother Roberts was a gifted vocalist and loved to sing opera. Her musical gifts were extraordinary. She was particularly effective at leading praise and worship, while setting the atmosphere for others to experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. She was a talented songwriter. Two of her songs, “I’m Looking for Paradise,” and “I’ll See You in the Morning,” are featured in today’s homegoing celebration. She also possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of gospel hymns and choruses and instilled in others an appreciation for the apostolic tradition. A creative and versatile minister par excellence, she used powerful singing, speaking, and teaching to impact the lives of men, women, and children in churches throughout the nation. Her ministry also involved significant community outreach, including preparing an annual Thanksgiving feast for members of the Eastway Division of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and the local credit union.
After the death of her husband in 2010, she served as pastor of Calvary Christian Church until her retirement in 2019. Her work as a dynamic worship leader and teacher transformed the lives of countless individuals across multiple generations. Pastor Emerita Betty J. Roberts' legacy is one of unwavering faith, boundless love, and tireless service. Her strength of character, dedication to God's Word, and compassionate spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 51 years, Bishop Edward C. Roberts; her parents, Rev. Solomon Blackmon and Atlene (Williams) Blackmon; brother Sol Blackmon; maternal grandmother, Elzena Jenkins; uncle and aunt, David and Eartha Malone; and uncles, Sidney Jenkins and Othal Jenkins.
She is survived by three daughters and one son: Dr. Atleatha Roberts (Roland) Coston, David (Fanny) Roberts, Debra (Dr. Leon) Dantzler, and Lori (Dr. Melvin) Butler; and one daughter-in-love, Monica Roberts, and one special son, Douglas Merriwether; nine grandchildren: Dwayne (Tamera) Merriwether, Bishop Robert (Shania) Merriwether, Krystal (Elder Zachary) Humphrey, Aja Roberts, Ashley Roberts, Julian Roberts, Laura Dantzler, Leah Dantzler, and Stanley Butler; eight great-grandchildren, Robert Merriwether, Jr., Kalynn Merriwether, Jonathan Merriwether, Sean Merriwether, Samara Humphrey, Ethan Humphrey, Chase Humphrey, and Kristopher Roberts; two great-great grandchildren, Paigelynn Jones, and Kaiden Merriwether. She also leaves behind her youngest brother, Frank (Juliana) Blackmon and nephew, Aaron (Teri) Blackmon; two sisters-in-law, Betty (late Charles) Edmonds, and Geraldine (Herbert) Feaster, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends.
May her soul rest in eternal peace, and may her legacy continue to inspire and guide us. She leaves us with fond memories from the many roles she served. We cherish who she was: an anointed worshipper, spiritual warrior, lover of Jesus Christ, and mighty laborer in the Kingdom of God.
We give tribute to her work and find peace in the blessed assurance that she has found her paradise in Jesus Christ and now rests in his arms.
