Claudette Gay Eccles Roberts, 80, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 29, 2019 at Lenbrook retirement community in Buckhead. She was born November 18, 1938 in Louisville, Kentucky. Together with her younger sister, Lillian, Claudette moved around the country as a child with her mother, Zina LaNasa Eccles and her father, Claude Graham Eccles, who worked as a doctor in the US Public Health Service.
She spent many years in Miami, Florida where she graduated from Coral Gables High School. She later graduated from Louisiana State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Merchandising. Throughout her life, Claudette remained close to a core group of her high school friends.
Claudette married her devoted husband, Dr. James G. Roberts, on June 5, 1960 - a 59-year partnership that lead to a life of achievement both personally and professionally. She and Jim ultimately settled in New Orleans, where they raised their two sons, Graham and John. Claudette excelled at anything she put her mind to, particularly if challenged. She volunteered at WYES in New Orleans and was an outstanding cook and host. Claudette enjoyed many hobbies throughout different stages of her life – playing piano, making beaded flowers, crocheting, knitting, and sharing her remarkable needlepoint talent with others.
Claudette and Jim moved to a home they built in Sandestin, Florida in 2002, where they spent twelve wonderful years building new friendships and creating amazing memories with their grandchildren - Caroline, Gray, Meagan and Mitchell. Active in the Sandestin community, she enjoyed playing bridge with friends and attending her book club. As important as her sons Graham and John were to her, she adored her daughters-in-law Carla and Elizabeth and her niece Claudia.
Of all the great experiences Claudette had in her life, her most cherished was that as a grandmother. She invested her time, energy and love in them in so many ways - cooking with them, traveling across the globe with them, working on crafts, going to the movies or taking a trip to the beach. Dettsy, as she was lovingly named, was determined to have a loving impact on their lives and she truly succeeded! Her bright, bubbly personality lit up every room of gathered friends and family, and her strength of character and conviction was an inspiration to all who knew and loved her.
The family wishes to thank the care staff at Lenbrook, Crossroads Hospice, and all those friends and family who made her final years in Atlanta more comfortable. A special thank you to her care giver companions Sarah Dunn, Elaine Chafin and Wendy Richmond. Thank you as well to Gayle Horton and Mynel Yates DuBose with Solutions for Seniors for their guidance and council.
A memorial service will be held at The Chapel at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE in Atlanta at 11:00am on Thursday August 8, 2019. Claudette’s life will be celebrated at a service in New Orleans at a date to be determined. She will be interred at Lake Lawn Cemetery in Metairie, Louisiana near her mother and father, Zina and Claude, her sister, Lillian Eccles Nugent, and her daughter-in-law, Denise Coe Roberts.
Claudette always loved flowers but options in lieu of flowers are:
The National Kidney Foundation or an organization that is important to you.
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