John David Roberts, Sr. passed away on the morning of October 25, 2023 following a three year, hard fought battle with cancer. He loved Jesus, his family, football and the Beatles.
John was born on May 1, 1951 to Fred and Geraldine Roberts. One of six children in a very athletic family, John excelled in high school football. He held the number of rushing yards record at Morton High School for over 30 years until it was broken by Deuce McAllister. John attended The University of Mississippi on a football scholarship where he was a teammate of Archie Manning and was coached by Johnny Vaught. While in college, he met Anne Littlejohn at a Campus Crusade for Christ conference in Dallas, TX. Because they were the only attendees from the University of Mississippi, they decided it would be prudent to socialize and study together while at the conference. They celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary in August. After graduating from Ole Miss, John and Anne moved to California to continue their work with Campus Crusade for Christ. They were on staff for four years before heading back to Mississippi and settling in Oxford with their three children. John cleared the large side lot of their Oxford home to make a baseball field that he and his children (as well as a large portion of the neighborhood kids) played upon for hours. He loved nothing more than throwing a football to his enthusiastic sons and somewhat reluctant daughter.
John majored in Business Administration and worked in the insurance industry for much of his career. He was the Insurance Manager for Campus Crusade for Christ in San Bernadino, California, Insurance Manager for Mott’s in Water Valley, Mississippi and the Safety Coordinator for Whirlpool Corporation in Oxford, Mississippi. To this day, his children only hold scissors by the handles and shun trampolines. He served as a deacon at North Oxford Baptist Church. Once retired, he spent time tutoring/reading with second graders and as an AWANA leader. He was a member of Grace Bible Baptist Church in Fruitland Park, Florida.
John leaves his siblings Fred Roberts (Faith), Wanda Priester, Kay Somers (Tom), Ronnie Roberts (Jeannie) and Bobby Roberts; his children David Roberts (Billie), Mandy Roberts and Mark Roberts; his granddaughters Rowan Shackelford and Lillian Roberts; and his loving wife, Anne as well as many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
In high school (where he was student body president and Mr. Morton High), John’s senior prediction was that he would marry, have three children (boy, girl, boy) and live in a tropical setting. John passed in The Villages, Florida at the age of 72 leaving a wife and three children (boy, girl, boy).
