Edna Maxwell Roberts

Edna Maxwell Roberts, 97, passed away Thursday, February 6, 2014 at Baptist Hospital in Jackson. Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 5-7PM at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home-Jackson. A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at First United Methodist Church Clinton with a visitation one hour prior. Interment to follow at Lakewood Memorial Park.

Mrs. Roberts has been a resident of Clinton, MS since 1974, but had previously resided in Sardis, MS.

She was born in Hopkins, Mo. on May 15, 1916 to Dr. and Mrs. H.S. Maxwell. After receiving her BSN degree from Washington University, School of Nursing in St. Louis, Mo., she served her country as a nurse during World War II with the Navy Nurse Corps. Mrs. Roberts completed her Master of Science Degree in Public Health Nursing from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1947. She taught pediatric nursing at Boston Floating Hospital and at the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. During her career she received many nursing honors, including induction into the Nursing Honor Society at the University of Mississippi (1983) and the Mississippi Nurses Association Hall of Fame (2006).

To help commemorate 100 years of public health nursing Mrs. Roberts coauthored a book celebrating public health nursing in Mississippi 1920-1993. She dedicated her life to the advancement of nursing in Mississippi. She retired from the Mississippi State Department of Health in 1983 as Director of Public Health Nursing after 36 years of service.

Mrs. Roberts was an active member of First United Methodist Church Clinton, the American Nurses Association, Mississippi Nurses Association and United Methodist Women. She had recently been recognized as a 75 year member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, James J. Roberts and a brother, George R. Maxwell.

Mrs. Roberts is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Roberts Street (Scott); granddaughter, Claire Elizabeth Brown (James); and great grandchildren, Maxwell James Brown and Abigail Claire Brown of Scottsdale, AZ.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Saint Catherine’s Village, Siena I, for their kindness and care over the past 5 years.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mississippi Nurses Foundation: 31 Woodgreen Place, Madison, MS 39110 or First United Methodist Church Clinton: 100 Mt. Salus Rd., Clinton, MS 39056.