Oscar Roberson 86, of Beaufort and widower of Lillie Mae Roberson, died Sunday, July 29, 2012, at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services for Deacon Roberson will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, August 3 2012 at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Beaufort. Burial will follow in Beaufort National Cemetery with full Military Honors.
Many years ago, Deacon Roberson was fortunate enough to receive a Kidney transplant, necessitated by renal failure. This gift in turn extended his life and for that, the family is forever grateful. Because of that reason, it is their desire that in lieu of flowers, Donations be made to the National Kidney Foundation in his honor. The National Kidney Foundation 508 Hampton Street, Suite 200 Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Oscar Roberson, the son of Lottye Gibbons Roberson was born in Jasper, Florida on March 17, 1926 and raised in Gainesville, Florida, the youngest of four children, Bernetha, Earl, and Henryetta.
Oscar attended public school in Florida, but earned his GED from the United States Armed Forces Institute. Later on in life, he successfully completed coursework at Beaufort Technical College.
Oscar was drafted into the Navy in 1944, where he spent four years. While assigned to the United States Naval Academy, he saw the first black midshipman to graduate. In 1948, he was one of the first black servicemen to integrate the Marine Corps at Montford Point when President Harry S. Truman ordered “equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the Armed Forces.” He served during World War II and the Vietnam War, along with serving as a personal assistant to several Marine Corps generals.
After serving over 25 years of active military duty with pride, Oscar retired from the Marine Corps and began a second career with the federal government in Civil Service. After more than 40 years of combined federal service, he retired again.
Through the years Oscar remained active in church and community affairs. Faithfully serving at Tabernacle Baptist Church, he was ordained a Deacon. He passionately served as co-founder of Men’s Day for numerous years. He served as President and later President Emeritus of the Men’s Chorus, along with serving as a Trustee and singing in the Senior Choir.
Oscar was actively affiliated with the local NAACP, the Sons of Beaufort Masonic Lodge #36 and served as a Boy Scout leader and committeeman in the local Boy Scouts Troop 215.
Oscar was preceded in death by his wife Lillie Mae Jenkins-Roberson. He leaves to cherish his memory: three children, Wendell V. Roberson, Sr, (Gina), of Beaufort, South Carolina; Ronald Roberson (Darlene) of Manassas, Virginia, and Lana Johnson (Harvie) of Charlotte, North Carolina; a devoted sister-in-law, Emily Jenkins Turner of Jacksonville, North Carolina; grandchildren, CPT Adriel Roberson of Chester, Virginia; Alexis Roberson of Texas City, Texas; Wendell V. Roberson, Jr. and Justin Pope of Beaufort, South Carolina; Harvie, Lillian and Haylen Johnson of Charlotte, North Carolina; a special nephew, William Turner of Williamsburg, Virginia; two loving nieces, Edith Braddy of Orlando, Florida and Malean Dunn of Portland, Oregon; a devoted family-friend Dorothy Hudson; a host other relatives and friends.
Marshel's Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals is in charge.
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