Vena Southwood Roberts, 91, passed away Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Tallahassee, FL. Vena was a beloved and loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was born February 6, 1931, to Prentice and Ollie Buster Southwood in Wayne County, KY, and moved to Tallahassee from St. Johns County, FL, in 1959.
She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1953 (BA) and 1954 (MA), both degrees in Education. She had the distinction of having taught in one of Kentucky’s last one-room rural schools, housing eight grades. She later taught in Lexington, KY; Nashville, TN; and Tallahassee, FL. She especially enjoyed initiating and mentoring the kindergarten program at Maclay School, Tallahassee, FL. She retired from Maclay in 1990 to “mentor” her grandchildren, in whom she took great delight!
Vena called herself a “homebody.” Caring for her family and teaching her children and grandchildren, guiding them to lead Christian lives, gave her tremendous joy.
She was a member, Sunday School teacher of children, and singer in the Sanctuary Choir at First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, FL, for 62 years.
Vena was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Courtland Lee Roberts, Jr., in 2013; her parents; brother, Lee Southwood; and sister, Lena McFarland. She is survived by her children, daughters Amelia (Ann) Roberts McNab (Thomas) and Shelley (Jeanne) Roberts Econom (John), and son Dr. Adrian Prentice Roberts (Adrian); eight grandchildren, Stephanie (McNab) Babb (Sean), Court Roberts, Katlyn Econom, Josie Econom, Kendall Roberts, Jack Econom, Liam Roberts, and Ella Grace Roberts; and a great-granddaughter, Alexandra Babb. She is also survived by her sister, Dr. Lora Miller, of Lexington, KY.
Memorial services will be private. The family suggests sending memorial contributions to the Music Ministry or general fund of First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, FL; the kindergarten program at Maclay School, Tallahassee, FL; or a charity of your choice.
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