John Preston Roberts

John Preston Roberts, 90, of Gulfport, went to his heavenly rest on February 21, 2014. The son of Roscoe Roberts and Annie Jane Roberts, John Preston was born in Mt. Olive, MS on February 17, 1924. He attended Mt. Olive High School where he was selected as the Valedictorian, Quarterback of the Football team, and ran on the Track Team. He served in the Navy, and after WWII he worked himself through college for eleven years. He attended John Carroll University, The Case Institute of Technology, The University of Mississippi, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in Engineering Administration.
John Preston married his childhood sweetheart, Christine Sullivan on August 19, 1960 at the First Baptist Church in Fairmont, W, VA. and lived there many years. He was the plant manager of Westinghouse after spending 15 years with the General Electric Company. While working at GE, he met a young spokesman, Ronald Regan, who was working for the company in commercials. Then, he was transferred to Westinghouse in Salina, KS as Plant Manager. There was reacquainted with his old GE friend, Ronald Regan and years later, he received a card addressed from the White House to John and Chris Roberts, signed by President Ronald Regan.
John Preston was a committed Christian and an active member of the First Baptist Church of Gulfport, where he loved serving in the Audio/Video Ministry. Former church memberships include: New Hope Baptist Church, Mt. Olive, MS, First Baptist Church, Fairmont, W.Va (Chairman of Deacons, Choir Member, Chairman of Finance), and First Baptist Church, Salina, KS. (Chairman of Deacons).
Seven years later, they moved to Gulfport, MS where he was in Management at Chattanooga Glass Company (later Anchor Glass Company) from which he later retired. He spent many nights working at the plant and was known for being a person who cared for everyone equally.
He was dedicated to his community serving in the Rotary Club (Winner of the Paul Harris Fellow Award, Program Chairman, and many other awards as well) The Kiwanis Club (President, Salina, KS). The Antique Car Club, serving many times as President, Chairman of the Edgewater Mall Antique Car Show and the President of the Corvette Club (Salina, KS)
He could do anything with his hands from building a beautiful mountain home in Fairmont, W.Va to restoring antique cars. Yet his love for cars was his favorite. Former cars include a 1917 Model T Ford (which cruised in the very first ""Crusin of the Coast"", 1960, 1963, & 1966 Corvettes, 1965 Mustang, 1926 Model T, 1917 Model T Touring Car, 1981 Mercedes,, vintage mustang and a 1967 Austin London Taxi Cab. He won numerous awards for his cars. He took pride in driving brides on their wedding day, driving dignitaries in parades, and bringing his cars to elementary schools and churches to give little children rides in them. He was highly involved in starting ""Crusin' of the Coast"".
He was an avid golfer, and played in a PGA tournament with many professional golfers. He also traveled with his wife, Chris, to Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Europe. They enjoyed going on cruises together as well and sightseeing.
He and his beloved wife, Chris enjoyed dancing many evenings at the local Country Club. His daughters remember putting their feet on his and dancing across the room - a memory they will always cherish. He also played in a band with his brothers ""Curly Roberts and the Mississippi Ramblers"" and they played on the radio.
He was also an avid bridge player and enjoyed many nights of ""Bridge Club"" with friends. He was appointed as an Honorary Deputy Sheriff by Sheriff Joe Price and was proud and honored to be.
In his retirement years he enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren. He also loved to video weddings and special events on the coast and even helped out WLOX-TV from time to time. Driving brides on their wedding day in the London Taxi was a highlight for him as well. He had a special friendship with his beloved Maltese ""Poco"" and enjoyed his chair side companion.
A loving husband, father and grandfather, he was known for loving to work in his yard and for picking flowers every day and bringing them into the house to place in a bud vase for his wife. He left small encouraging notes on the kitchen cupboards for his family to find all the time. He never missed an event in his grandchildren's lives. Every concert, soccer game, lemonade stand, music recital - he was there. Always
He loved the Mississippi Gulf Coast, especially the beautiful lighthouses. He would often leave the glass plant and drive to the beach for his lunch break and eat his lunch on the pier overlooking the beautiful gulf. He then would feed the seagulls and head back to work. He loved taking photos of family and nature - a hobby he passed on to his daughter and granddaughters who also love to do the same.
Known by so many as the ""sweetest, kindest, most generous man that ever lived."" He taught us all about the value of the words ""thank you"" and ""please"". He never met a stranger or missed an opportunity to tell others about his wife, children or grandchildren.
He lived his life not so much by the words he said, but by the life he lived. His family often told him ""You know you're the best Dad in the whole world don't you""? He truly was.
Preceded in death by Roscoe Roberts, father, Annie Jane Roberts, mother, Craig Preston Roberts, son, Truman Roberts and Javus Roberts, as close as a brothers.
He is survived by his beloved wife of over 53 years, Christine Sullivan Roberts. His sisters, Annie Lois Stoufer, (Woody), Bobby Hazel Carlisle, (S.F.), and brother Columbus Laverne Roberts, (Polly). Daughters, Nancy Wilson, Brownwood, TX (Terry) and Tammy Turnage, Gulfport, MS (Kendall). Grandchildren: Heidi Deen (Dustin), San Antonio, TX, Kristen Moody (Brian), Gulfport, MS, Maria Turnage, Gulfport, MS, Terianne Ballard, (Russell) Pineville, LA, and Chris Wilson, Alexandria, LA. Great Grandchildren: Cody Ballard, Pineville, LA, Christian Wilson, Pineville, LA, Natalie Wilson, Pineville, LA, Preston Deen, San Antonio, TX and Ryann Deen, San Antonio, TX, and daughter in law, Lynn Roberts (Craig). Special friend, Christine Skinner.
The service will be on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at The First Baptist Church of Gulfport, 12190 Highway 605, Gulfport, MS. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and the funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will then be held at 3:00 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church in Mt. Olive, MS.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, is serving the family and an online obituary may be viewed and memories shared at www.riemannfamily.com