Verna Marie Roberts, of Wappapello, was born Feb. 4, 1932, at Ellsinore the daughter of Edith Cates Carter and the late Joseph Lloyd Carter of Puxico, and died Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital at Cape Girardeau at the age of 71.

On March 10, 1932, she was united in marriage to Clifford Roberts.

Mrs. Roberts was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church at Malden where she was a Sunday school teacher.

Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Marie Florida of Lexington, Tenn., and Barbara Garris of Wappapello; one son, Kenneth Ray Roberts of Dog Creek, Okla.; her mother, Edith Carter of Puxico; two sisters, Letha McElvoy of Springfield and Brenda Collins of Lakeland, Fla.; two brothers, Ivan Willis of Bonne Terre and Sherman Lloyd Carter of Bernie; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by one grandchild; one sister, Naomi Dockins; and one brother, Freeman Carter.

Visitation was held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003, at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2003, at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden with Rev. Paul Starnes officiating.

Interment followed at Little Brushy Cemetery in Wappapello.