Dr. Ralph Donald Roberts, 90, of Fitzgerald died Friday, December 19, 2014, at his residence.
Memorial services will be held 2 PM, Monday, December 22, 2014, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Michael Ruffin and the Rev. Blane Jacobs officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:15 until 2 Sunday afternoon in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church.
Dr. Roberts was born in Macon Georgia on January 25, 1924, to the late Cleo and Velna Greene Roberts. Dr. Roberts was graduated from Jones County High School in 1941, studied pre med at Mercer University until 1943, and was graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1947. He completed his internship at Macon Hospital in 1948. He moved to Fitzgerald and began practicing medicine in July 1950, with Dr. Francis Ward. While residing in Fitzgerald, he was called to active duty during the Korean Conflict and was stationed at the Fort Benning U.S. Army Hospital for two years. During his career, Dr. Roberts treated patients not only in Fitzgerald but also in other locations such as Indian reservations in South Dakota and New Mexico, and in St. Lucia, West Indies. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club. He was a founding director and past Chairman of the Board of The Bank of Fitzgerald and served on the Board of Directors of Colony Bank Corp. He served on the Diplomat Board and was a Fellow of the American Board of Family Practice. He also served on the Boards of the Hospital Authority of Ben Hill County, the Ben Hill Irwin Medical Association, the Georgia Medical Association, the American Medical Association, and the Georgia Academy of Physicians. He served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Family Practice for Mercer University. Dr. Roberts served on the Board of Public Health Home Health and as Medical Director of Fitzgerald Nursing Home. He was a member and past chairman of the Fitzgerald City Board of Education. Roberts was the Fitzgerald Ben Hill County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1988. Dr. Roberts was also awarded Physician of the Year by Dorminy Medical Center in 1989. He was awarded the Humanitarian Award by Ben Hill Irwin Technical School in 1989, and was the first recipient of the Dr. James Alley Service Award presented by the Rural Health Association of Georgia in 1991. He served on the board of Truett-McConnell College. He served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons at First Baptist Church, and taught Sunday school and RAs for many years. His hobbies included gardening, cooking, and volunteering with Christian Kitchen and Blue Gray Community Hospice.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Joyce Hartley Roberts, and son-in-law, James Harrison McNease, Jr. His survivors include four children, Don (Kathy) Roberts of Tallahassee, Florida, Debby (Greg) Brown, Dale McNease, and David (Amanda) Roberts of Fitzgerald, 14 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one brother, Guy (Betty Jean) Roberts of Gray, Georgia and sister-in-law, Sylvia Younginer of Tifton, Georgia.
Those wishing to send memorials may send them to Christian Kitchen, P.O. Box 1195, Fitzgerald 31750 or to Blue Gray Community Hospice, P.O. Box 1447, Fitzgerald 31750 or to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 367, Fitzgerald 31750.