Myrtle Irene LaVoie

Myrtle Roberts LaVoie, age 84 of Lowell, NC, passed away peacefully after an eight month battle with diverticulitis and entered the gates of heaven on January 7, 2022. She was born February 14, 1937, Valentine’s Day, in Cherryville, NC, a small town at the foot of the western highlands of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She was the daughter of the late Dewitt Roberts Sr. and Alma Plemons Roberts.

Myrtle was a devout Christian, and a member of Omega Faith Ministries lead by her Pastor, Bob Roark, of nearly 38 years, and was also inspired by the teachings of Evangelist William Marrion Branham.

Myrtle was the loving mother of three adoring children and is survived by her daughter Jeanne Duncan (Brian Saunders) of Asheville, NC, son Gary Marshall Sr. of McAdenville, NC, and daughter Maggie Cox (Aaron) of Hilton Head Island, SC. She leaves her loving niece Sheila Roberts, of the home, who was her confidant and caretaker for nearly 10 years. Myrtle also leaves behind 12 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who she loved dearly.

Myrtle attended Lenoir-Rhyne University, Lenoir, NC and Sacred Heart College, Belmont, NC. She also attended Mattituck/Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT, where she received her certification as a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor.

Myrtle was a believer in recovery, unity, and service as she counseled with a strong but loving countenance dedicating 43 years of her life to people dependent on drugs and alcohol. She was one of the most highly regarded, respected, and loved women in the recovery community of her time. Myrtle was enthusiastically devoted to and a staunch supporter of the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous communities in Waterbury, CT and in Gaston County, NC. She organized a highly successful volunteer program at Saint Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, CT, for indigent alcoholics recruiting over 100 volunteers whom she coordinated and managed to assist these persons. Myrtle started the world famous Hangover Street recovery group in 1979 while working for the Morris Foundation, Waterbury, CT and for High Watch Recovery Center, the oldest recovery center in the United States, located in Kent, CT. Later in her career Myrtle became the Director of McLeod Addictive Disease Center, Charlotte, NC, Director at the Flynn Fellowship Home of Gastonia, NC, and was both the Administrator and Clinical Director for the Department of Corrections providing substance abuse treatment counseling to inmates. She also started numerous Alcoholics Anonymous chapters throughout Gaston County, NC.

Basketball was Myrtle’s personal passion. She was the only girl who played on the boys basketball team while attending Lowell High School, Lowell, NC in the 1950’s. Myrtle was an avid fan of Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team, both the UCONN Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams, and enjoyed attending Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers games with her children and grandchildren.

Myrtle was blessed as the last remaining sibling to be able to witness the many accomplishments and life journeys of her brothers and sisters. She was immensely proud of her family, including the distinguished service in the United States Armed Forces of her father, brothers, nephews, and grandson. She inspired her children and family to love music, to live life to its fullest, centered around Jesus Christ as she did, and to gracefully accept both the good and challenging times as part of life’s journey. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Arnvel Roberts, Dewitt Roberts Jr., Prophet Joel Roberts; and sisters, Blois Mobley, Carlene Roberts, and Jeanette Thompson.

Pallbearers: Ashton Cox (grandson), Jason Duncan (grandson), Matthew Eckerd (great nephew), Gary Marshall, Jr (grandson), Tim Roberts (nephew), Zachery Short (grandson in-law), Billy Thompson, (nephew).

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Carothers Funeral Home at Gaston Memorial Park, 2205 Williamsburg Drive, Gastonia, NC 28054. The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm prior to the service. Pastor Bob Roark will be officiating. Interment will follow at Gaston Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Omega Faith Ministries, PO Box 2339, Lenoir, NC 28645.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com for the Lavoie family.