Maria Elena McGuire Roberts

After a lifetime of teaching and serving others, Maria Elena “Elaine” Roberts graduated from this life to the next on July 17, 2015. Elaine is joining her mother, Gladys Maria Shuff, her father, Glenn McGuire, and her sister, Ellen Rae. Elaine is survived by J.D., her loving husband of 50 years. They were married in Perisburg, Virginia in 1965. Elaine is lovingly remembered by her children; son, Jamie Roberts and wife Linda Roberts of Dunn; daughter, Lisa Johnson and her husband Mark Johnson of Coats; and daughter, Cyndi Wynn and her husband Kennen Wynn of Greensboro; and her beautiful brown-eyed puppy, Ella, of the home, as well as 9 very well-loved grandchildren. Elaine was born in Wharton, West Virginia on November 3, 1942. She graduated from Van High School in May of 1960, and went on to obtain a degree in Special Education with certification for teaching. Her career began with jobs in various rehabilitation settings before she found the focus of her passion and career working at a county high school for disabled children. She had several jobs working with special education in Wake County culminating with her tenure at Athens Drive High School as the Chairperson of the Special Education Department. In this job, she not only impacted special education but was the founder of the Academic Boosters program which began at her school and was copied in many other places. She was twice selected to be teacher of the year at her school. While still teaching at Athens, she and J.D. opened a bed and breakfast in Dunn, NC which they ran for 7 years. She was active in church all of her life – from Wharton Baptist in West Virginia, to First Assembly in Raleigh, to Glad Tidings in Dunn. She was involved in the Dunn Woman’s Club, the Christian Women’s club, the Arts Club, and the Red Hat Society. She was also active in Delta Kappa Gamma—the Gamma Iota chapter in Raleigh. When she retired from teaching in Raleigh, she was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian award given by the Governor. The visitation will be held at Cromartie-Miller Funeral Home from 6-8 pm on Sunday, July 19, 2015, and the celebration of her life will be held at Glad Tidings Church on Monday, July 20, 2015 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Glad Tidings Church Building Fund or to Transitions Hospice Care. CONDOLENCES MAY BE MADE AT WWW.CROMARTIEMILLERANDLEE.COM