A SERVICE IN WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION OF @vk~~~ Sunrise June 22. 1932 Sunset September 30. 2015 Thursday, October 8, 2015 1:00 p.m. @~ !!lfLd Cf?kd 400 Auburn Avenue Northeast Atlanta. GA 30312 The Reverend Raphael Gamaliel Warnock, Ph.D. Senior Pastor ~~ @~~g;li And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 Esther Jean Wortham was born on June 22, 1932 to Madeline May Wortham and Hermett Handy Wortham in Detroit, Michigan. She was the younger of their two children. At an early age, Esther joined the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit and began a lifetime of Christian service. Lovingly known by friends and family as Jeannie, she was educated in the public schools of Detroit where she excelled in academics, making straight A's all twelve years of school. An avid athlete, she mastered tennis, bowling, basketball, field hockey and was a member of the high school swimming team and served as a lifeguard. Jeannie graduated as Valedictorian from Northern High School in 1950. Following graduation, Jeannie enrolled at Wayne State University on an academic scholarship. A highlight of her college experience was becoming a member of the Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated in 1951. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wayne State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1954. Upon graduation from Wayne State, she continued her education at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, where she earned the Master of Science in Education degree in 1956. Her areas of academic concentration included Biology, Ornithology (Study of Birds) and Ichthyology (Study of Fish). Esther Jean completed further post graduate study at Newark State University, (now Rutgers,) The State University of New Jersey Newark, New Jersey and Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia in Astrophysics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics. During the summer of 1958, Jeannie's life changed course and a love story began to unfold when the new pastor, the Reverend Joseph L. Roberts, Sr. and his family arrived from Chicago, Illinois. At that time, Jeannie's mother served as the church secretary. The pastor's handsome namesake had just finished seminary and was completing an internship at Bethel that summer. This was divine intervention. Jeannie began taking her mother, who did not drive, to and from the church. She also turned down a trip to Mexico with her friends to stay and work at the church's Vacation Bible School. When her friends returned from Mexico and teasingly asked, "How was your religious summer?" Jeannie showed them her left hand and the new engagement ring! On June 7, 1959, Esther Jean Wortham was united in marriage to the Reverend Joseph Lawrence Roberts, Jr. at Bethel. Pastor and First Lady Roberts were called by God to a service to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their steadfast, unwavering love and social justice ministry served as an inspiration to everyone who knew and loved them until his death on February 1SCh of this year. Becoming a minister's wife and First Lady initially required some adjustments. Mrs. Roberts soon found her place in the teaching and mission ministries, first at Weequahic Presbyterian Church and later at Elmwood United Presbyterian Church in New Jersey. Upon the recommendation of Mrs. Alberta Williams King, First Lady of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Roberts were invited to visit Ebenezer. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. was nearing the end of his forty~four years as Senior Pastor and the church was looking for his successor. In 1975, Dr. Joseph L. Roberts, Jr. was called to serve as the fourth Senior Pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. In each of the churches her husband pastored, Jeannie could be counted on to support the entire church program and Ebenezer was no exception. The Esther Jean Roberts Missionary Circle carries her name in recognition of her lifelong work and dedication to helping others. The Singing Sisters proudly recognized her as an honorary member because of her love for music and genuine support of Ebenezer's music ministry. She was a faithful June Birth Month Club member and supported the February Birth Month Club with her husband. Mrs. Roberts faithfully served as First Lady of Ebenezer for thirty years. In addition to her church duties, Mrs. Roberts was employed as an educator with the Atlanta Public Schools System. She served as a kindergarten science teacher, substitute teacher at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and a high school science teacher at Frederick Douglass High School from which she retired in 1992. Mrs. Roberts served as a tutor and mentor to students in science and math in all the cities in which she and her husband resided. She was a volunteer aide in the Children's Ward of Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta. She received the Bausch and Lomb Science Award for motivating students to pursue opportunities in science and engineering. Mrs. Roberts traveled extensively with her husband to England, Scotland, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, and Mexico, as well as numerous places within the continental U.S.A. After retirement, Jeannie dedicated her energy to caring for her dear mother, and spending quality time with her grandchildren and her husband, Joe. Esther Jean Roberts was crowned with grace and clothed with honor. As a righteous woman, she feared the Lord, spoke the truth, had a calm spirit, and was concerned about peace and social justice. She will always be remembered for her integrity, diligence, kindness, generosity, patience, humility, cheerfulness, and loyalty. Her poise and dignity served as a role model for many young women and men, who under her leadership have taken their places in positions of influence and authority throughout this country and abroad. Her departure leaves an irreplaceable void in the hearts and minds of many, but there is peace in knowing that she is in God's presence. She and Dr. Roberts are together again. After living a full and productive life, Mrs. Esther Jean Wortham Roberts transitioned to her eternal hotne on Wednesday, September 30, 2015. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Dr. Parker W. Wortham, sister~in~law, Adelaide Wortham and her beloved husband. Mrs. Roberts is survived by two daughters, Cheryl Roberts (Leslie) Richmond, Decatur, Georgia and Cynthia Roberts (Sonny) Emory, Newnan, Georgia; a son, Carlyle J. Roberts, Powder Springs, Georgia; six grandchildren, Cherica, Joya and Emmanuel Richmond, Nigel and Nicholas Emory and Jordyn Roberts; two sisters~in~law, Joyce Wortham, Detroit, Michigan and Jacqueline Roberts (Price) Michael, Douglasville, Georgia; two nephews, David (Ann) Michael, Cincinnati, Ohio and Steven (Shelly) Michael, Atlanta, Georgia; a niece, Marlynne Kay Willingham, Detroit, Michigan; a god~daughter, Genise Austin~Holiday, Tallahass~e, Florida; the Ebenezer Baptist Church family and other loving relatives and treasured friends. The Reverend Raphael G. Warnock, Ph.D., Officiating PRELUDE "Praise to the Lord the Almighty" arr. Paul Manz "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" arr. Fred Bock DR. DAVID F. OLIVER, Organist "Fix Me, Jesus" Hymn #436 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH C ELEBRATION CHOIR DR. TONY MCNEILL, Director PROCESSIONAL HYMN OF PRAISE "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" Hymn # 175 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATION CHOIR DR. TONY MCNEILL, Director SCRIPTURE READING OLD TESTAMENT: PSALM 121 - THE REVEREND SHANAN E. JONES, EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH NEW TESTAMENT: LUKE 1:46-50 -MINISTER CASSANDRA HENDERSON, EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH EPISTLE: 2CORINTHIANS 4:16-5:1- THE REVEREND MICHAEL WORTHAM, EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH PRAYER OF COMFORT THE REVEREND DR. LISA D. RHODES DEAN OF SISTERS CHAPEL, SPELMA COLLEGE, ATLA TA, GEORGIA THE ANTHEM "Blessed Assurance" arr. Nancy Wertsch EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATION CHOIR MAURICE SEAY, Director SHALEWA THRASH, Soprano TRIBUTES (Sons & Daughter of Ebenezer) THE REVEREND TIMOTHY MCDONALD SE lOR PASTOR, FIRST l CO !LIM BAPTIST CHURCH, ATLA1 TA, GEORGIA THE REVEREND DR. SHARON AUSTIN DIRECTOR OF CON ECTIO AL MI ISTRIES, THE FLORID CO FERE CE OF THE U !TED METHODIST CHURCH LAKELA D, FLORID THE REVEREND EDWARDS. REYNOLDS SE lOR PASTOR, MIDWAY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, COLLEGE PARK, G EORGIA @"'~ oj<#na MUSICAL TRIBUTE " Extension of You" An Original Composition written by Nicholas for his grandmother NICHOLAS GmRAN EMORY (GRANDSON), Soloist TRIBUTES (Church & Family) MRS. FAYE JONES ESTHER ]EA ROBERTS CIRCLE EMMANUEL RICHMOND GRA DSO CYNTHIA ROBERTS-EMORY DAUGHTER DEACON DEBORAH STURGIS SHIELDS THE EBE EZER MISSIO ARY U t lO t CELEBRATION IN SONG "Something Within" Lucie Campbell; arr. Tony McNeill EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATION CHOIR DR. TONY MCNEILL, Director LAURA ENGLISH-ROBINSON, Soprano MARY HARRIS GURLEY, Contralto EULOGY THE REVEREND DR. RAPHAEL G. WARNOCK S E lOR PASTOR CHORAL BENEDICTION "Total Praise" by Richard Smallwood THE EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATION CHOIR & CONGREGATION DR. TONY MCNEILL, Director RECESSIONAL "Hallelujah" FROM MESSIAH by George F. Handel EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATION CHOIR DR. TONY MCNEILL, Director ORGAN POSTLUDE "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" arr. David Oliver DR. DAVID F. OLIVER, Organist INTERMENT: SOUTHVIEW CEMETERY, 1990 JONESBORO ROAD, S.E., ATLANTA, GEORGIA At a quiet family supper Christmas Eve, Mr. & Mrs. Hermett H. Wortham of Alger Avenue, announced the engagement of their daughter, Esther Jean, to Joseph Lawrence Roberts, Jr. Miss Wortham is a graduate of Wayne State University and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Roberts, son of the Rev. Joseph Lawrence Roberts, Sr., Minister of Bethel AME Church and Mrs. Roberts, is a graduate of Knoxville College and will complete his studies at Union Theological Seminary of New York in May. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. An early June wedding is being planned. c.9t&m. MR. EARNEST PATTERSON DEACON WILLIE ALEXANDER DEACON JAMES ABSON DEACON BILL FICKLIN DEACON JIM GASKIN DEACON VIRGIL GIVENS ~.9.&. . SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN Mi t ISTRY ~_ftu~a ESTHER JEAN ROBERTS CIRCLE JUNE CLUB Robe~~ The family of Mrs. Esther lean Wortham love, gifts, sympathies and kindness shown to us during her illness and death. We praise God for each one of you and are most grateful for your Christian witness. May God's eternal blessings be with you forever. The Roberts Family WILLIE A. WATKINS FUNERAL HOME The Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, Ph.D., Senior Pastor 1101 Jackson Street, NE I Atlanta , Georgia 303121 Tel:404-688-7300 1Fax: 404-521-1129 1email:www .historicebenezer.org