Laverne Crosby Roberts, 66, of Tifton died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2009, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Rev. Wayne Driskell and Rev. Tom Deal will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Randy Taft, Roland Mitchell, Kevin Kirby, Michael Spikes, Elden Gurley and Joey Gurley will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Roberts was born on August 19, 1942 in Axson and was the daughter of Joe Crosby and Mamie Mathews Crosby, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Donald Taft; three brothers, R. T. Crosby, Clifford Crosby and Eugene Crosby; and one sister, Lorene Carver. She was the owner and operator of Laverne’s Beauty Salon and a member of Tifton Primitive Baptist Church. She was also a former member of the Pilot Club.
Mrs. Roberts is survived by her husband, Kyle Roberts of Tifton; one son, Ronald Gene Taft of Tifton; one daughter, Donna Sue Taft of Douglasville; four sisters, Helen Gurley of Axson, Genell Wilson of Douglas, Jannie Giddens of Pearson, and Tessie Burch of Axson; and eight grandchildren, including Kevin Kirby of Atlanta and Savanah Mobley of Tifton.