Ray Lavelle (Joe Ray) Roberson, age 71, died Sunday, February 9, 2014 at Community Hospice in Verona, MS. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Funeral Home, Columbus, MS. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 12, 2014 from 12:00 PM -2:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home. A memorial service in the Chapel will follow at 2:00 PM. Burial will be in Friendship Cemetery Joe Ray was born January 4, 1943 to the late Addis and Mae Humphries Roberson in Columbus. He graduated from S. D. Lee Senior High in 1963. He played football and basketball and lettered in track as one of the fastest runners on the track team. He was a former member of the MS Army National Guard and was activated after Hurricane Camille in 1969. He was a former resident of Jasper, AL and was Sports Editor of the Mountain Eagle for many years. He also owned Roberson Studio. A sports photographer by trade, he took pictures for nine area high school yearbooks while living in Jasper. He moved back to Columbus in 1989 and was employed as a sports photographer at the Commercial Dispatch until his retirement in 2008. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his two brothers Louis Roberson and Murphy Roberson. He is survived by his son Brad Roberson of Jasper, Al, his daughter Ashley Roberson of Hoover, Al, his sister Patti Cooper (J.T.) of Columbus and one grandson Xander Ray Smith. He is also survived by the mother of his children Regina Cash of Hoover, nephews Steve Roberson and Bert White and a niece Denisa Lewis. Honorary pallbearers will be David Allan Williams and Henry Matuszak. Memorials may be made to Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.
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