Beaches of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.Portrait of Rita Roberts. IMB Photo
Rita Roberts, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Brazil, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, died May 23, 2025, in Florence, South Carolina. She was 83.
Rita was born Jan. 12, 1942, in Kershaw County, South Carolina, to the late Stoy William Roberts and Edna Marie Gardner Roberts. She graduated from Mt. Pisgah High School and received the Bachelor of Arts from Carson-Newman College (now Carson-Newman University), Jefferson City, Tennessee, and the Master of Religious Education from New Orleans Theological Seminary, Louisiana.
Shortly before high school graduation, she felt God calling her to special service for Him. During a missions conference her senior year of college, she became aware of the need for the gospel in Brazil and felt led to international missions service. After graduation from seminary, she served as youth director for First Baptist Church of New Orleans and then as director of the Baptist Friendship House in Roanoke, Virginia.
While seeking missionary appointment she wrote, “During the spring of 1970, I started feeling that although I was very happy and contented God still wanted more of me. I prayed for His leadership and after much prayer I am positive God is still leading me to foreign missions.”
In 1971, the International Mission Board appointed Rita missionary to Brazil. In addition to serving in church planting, she served as director of a Baptist friendship center. She later served in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
She is survived by her brother, Arnold Roberts; her twin sister, Freda Robinson (J.B.); and her sister-in-law, Shirley Roberts. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
A service of celebration was held May 28 at Buffalo Baptist Church in Kershaw, South Carolina, with burial in Buffalo Baptist Church Cemetery.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity.
Read an obituary here.
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