Donald Roberson Obituary

To the man who loved to work.
Don Roberson was born on May 2nd, 1925, in Southern Illinois. He was the youngest of 4 boys with 1 older sister and 1 younger sister. Living through the great depression, "work" became a part of who he was. From the age of 8, he worked the farm barefoot from behind the horses and could remember times at night when snow would fall on his bed through the cracks in the ceiling. He finished through the 8th grade of school and then left to live with his brother in Chicago at the age of 12. He got a job delivering Coca-Cola making $25 a week.
When the US went to war during WW2, Don was drafted to join the U.S Marine Corps. He left behind his wife, Jeanne and son on the way, Denny. He recalled that boot camp was some of the best food he had eaten. Don would claim that he was a "barber" as he picked up the skill of cutting hair while on the ship to Hawaii and Iwo Jima and used that to make a little extra money while serving. He was in the Sigma Company 5th wave that landed on the beach in Iwo Jima. After living in a fox hole on the island for 40 days, the war was over, and he stood on the hill where the flag was raised. He brought back with him a gibberish of Japanese that his granddaughters are still trying to decipher today.
In the years following the war, Don worked as a truck driver hauling cars out of Detroit, he was a foreman in construction, drove a tractor in Idaho and then moved to Lakeland, FL and worked at a gas station. He began a job with the railroad and then ended up at Publix Supermarket where he stayed for 16 years. He met and married his wife Connie while in Lakeland and they were married for 64 years. In 1973 they moved to Boston, GA with their son, Scott to raise cows and farm. To provide for his family, he bought a semi-truck and started hauling containers from Boston to Jacksonville. In the early 80's, he started Don's trucking and continued to haul until he retired. He finished out his retirement years at Glen Arven Country Club and worked "when he wanted to" (which was pretty much every day). When he finally and officially retired from Glen Arvin, Don enjoyed working on his farm in Boston until he and Connie moved to Thomasville at age 95 because he couldn't pass the eye examination to get his driver's license.
Some of his hobbies throughout the years were owning racehorses, water skiing, working, and spending time with his family. He competed and won the National Championship in jumping in 1964 and made it a personal goal of his to ski again on his 80th and 90th birthdays. He cleared a fence row at 95, was a member at Factor Fitness at 99, and if you wanted to find him on a Saturday morning, he was at the Q Café with his son, Scott and sometimes his granddaughters and great grandson.
Don would tell you that he was a "very blessed man." He recounted countless times where the Lord had saved his life in the war, and he constantly gave God praise for the life He gave him after. His son, Scott will tell you that he taught him how "to be a boy and a man, with some coaching from my mom." He taught us all how to work and instilled a hardworking nature in every one of his family members. The barn behind his house in Boston filled with "trash and treasures" are his legacy of the importance of saving money and never throwing anything away. He became the man we know of him today because of his wife, Connie. She steered him ever so gently "most of the time" as only she could, and we are all better because of her influence in his life.
Many people will say that Don Roberson was their hero in some way. His straightforward attitude, willingness to help his friends, generous heart to give his working skills and money (with some encouragement from his wife), and his will to live a long and healthy life inspired many. Most people who knew him knew him as a stubborn man who loved to work. His family knew him as a man who loved to work and a man who was loyal, honest, dependable, encouraging, and inspiring. Truly our hero in every way. Don knew himself as a man who was blessed by the Lord by far more than he deserved.
He is survived by his son, Scott Roberson, and Scott's wife, Robin Carter Roberson, along with their children, Sydney Timmons (married to Caleb Timmons) and Miranda Quick (married to Lane Quick). Donald also leaves behind his son, Dennis Roberson, and Dennis's wife, Judy Roberson, as well as their children, Trevor and Heather Roberson, and grandchildren Claire Oliver and Henry Oliver. He was preceded in death by his four brothers and two sisters.
Graveside services will be held on Tuesday March 25, 2025 at 11:00AM in Sunset Memorial Gardens with Rev. Tim Phillips officiating.