Roberta M. Potts

Roberta Smith Potts was born February 20, 1946 in Alliance, North Carolina to the late Benjamin F. Sr. and Viola Smith. She passed away peacefully on January 22, 2016 surrounded by loving family members and nursing staff at Bay Health Hospital in Dover, Delaware. She was preceded in death by two children, Roberta (Candy) and Cornell; and one brother, John. Her late parents relocated to Delaware in 1952 where Roberta spent all of her life. Roberta was educated in the Delaware Public School System, attending Thomas D. Clayton Elementary School (Smyrna); Booker T. Washington Junior High School and William Henry Comprehensive High School, both in Dover. In elementary school, she really enjoyed dressing up and wrapping the May Pole. She received special recognition by the William Henry High School Alumni Association in 2004. Roberta worked sporadically in numerous positions over the years including the Rodney Hotel; Nichols and Matthew Smith Bus Company. Her marriage ended with divorce. She has four living children. Roberta loved life and she had many friends. She enjoyed spending time with her many nieces and nephews, encouraging them to do well while appreciating whatever they were doing. Roberta was reared in the church, attending Kenton AME Church participating in Sunday school, singing in the choir, and ushering. She was active in Emmanuel AME Church as an adult. At the time she became ill, she was a member of Zion AME Church; Camden-Wyoming, Delaware where she sang on the choir and ushered. Roberta's hope of being baptized in a natural body of water was realized in 2013 when The Rev. Keith Boomer baptized her in the Atlantic Ocean on the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware. Beach goers were awed clapping and saying "That's the way it should be done" or "I've never seen that done before". Roberta was wrapped only in a white garment and she came up from the water as the hymn, "Wade in the Water", was being played by trumpeter, Norwood Coleman, Sr. It was a blessed day for her. Roberta was a caring, sensitive person. She was nicknamed "Bert, Ms. Bert, or Potts". Bert's moods were transparent and she had no difficulty expressing her feelings. At one point she gave Snoopy, her dog, to the SPCA out of exasperation. She visited him every day and took him back home because she did not like the way he was being treated at the SPCA. Bert took care of Snoopy many years thereafter. Finally he got sick and died. It was not too long after Snoopy died that Bert became sick. Roberta leaves to cherish the memories of her life: one son, Anthony (Tony), a daughter-in-law, Nicole; three daughters, Sharelle, Cornelia, and Tammy; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Left with precious memories of their baby sister are two sisters: Elizabell (William); Alice (Norwood, Sr.); and five brothers: Benjamin, Jr.; William (Shirley); Matthew (Rosa); James (Dorothy); and Thomas (Luvenia); and many nieces/nephews; great nieces/great nephews and great/great nieces/great, great nephews. One aunt, one uncle, and many cousins as well as her friends will cherish fond memories of Roberta. The family recognizes all friends who visited our dear relative at Silverlake Nursing Home, Capitol Nursing Home and at Bay Health Hospital during the course of her illness. We are especially grateful to her friend, Sandra Wilson, who rarely missed a day visiting Roberta at Bay Health Hospital. We thank God for all the prayers for our dear relative's life and now we pray that her soul will rest in peace. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Roberta M. Potts, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Roberta M. Potts

February 20, 1946 - January 22, 2016