Virgil Roberson
Virgil Emery Roberson, Sr. passed away March 22, 2017.
The second born son of the late John L. and Virginia Layvette Roberson was born January 5, 1943, in Chattanooga. He was a lifelong resident of the city.
He was preceded in death by his father, and brothers John and Kenneth Roberson.
He graduated from The Howard School in the class of 1960. During his high school years he played football, baseball, and ran track. He participated in the lunch counter sit-ins to integrate restaurants in downtown Chattanooga during his senior year.
Virgil earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, in the class of 1965. He played football for four years of college. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
After graduation in 1965, he returned to Chattanooga and began his career as a mathematics teacher and coach with the Chattanooga Public Schools working at Orchard Knob Junior, City High, and Tyner Academy. He retired from the Hamilton County Department of Education in 1997.
He was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church, East Eighth Street where he served on the Board of Deacons and a member of the Alert Men’s Club. He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame. He was also a commissioner on the Hamilton County Election Commission.
For the past 50 years he has been married to Marion Strickland. They have two sons: Virgil Jr. and wife Donna of Memphis and Brian and wife Shannon of Nashville; four grandchildren: Brian Jr. and Tyler of Nashville; Lauryn of Jackson, MS; and Nicholas of Memphis. He is also survived by his mother, Virginia; brother, Roy of Hartford, CT; nephews Justin and Jeremy Roberson of Memphis; and cousin Michael Cunningham and his wife Brenda of Sacramento, CA. and a host of other relatives, close friends, and church family members.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday, April 1, 2017, at First Baptist Church, East Eighth Street with The Reverend William Terry Ladd, III officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hills Cemetery.
The body will lie in state after noon on Friday, March 31. The Kappa Alpha Psi memorial service will take place Friday at 6 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. The family will receive friends immediately following the ceremony from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga, Tn.