Obituary of Lorraine Marie Pettie Roberts

Lorraine Marie Pettie was born May 12, 1930 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest of four siblings, herself, Doris, William and Lynwood of the late Adele Marie Simpson Pettie and Willie Pettie. She departed this life on February 23, 2015 in Newburgh, New York. In April of 1941, she was baptized by the late Rev. Luke Jones at Miller Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Lorraine was educated in the Philadelphia Public School System and graduated from Simon Gratz High School in 1948. It was in these formative years that she gained an interest in teaching. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in 1952. She went on to receive her Master's degree from Columbia University. She also studied at SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Albany as well as Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. In 1952, Lorraine had her first teaching job at Union High School in Bowling Green, Virginia. She left, Bowling Green to marry Arthur M. Roberts in 1954. They moved to Rochester, New York were their sons, Kevin and Harlan were born. She resumed her teaching career at Charlotte High School until her husband received a position with IBM in Poughkeepsie. They moved the family to Wappingers Falls in 1963 and she became a substitute teacher with the Arlington School District. In 1966, she began teaching business at Poughkeepsie High School; ultimately retiring as Occupational Education Chairperson in 1996. After her retirement from Poughkeepsie City School District, she became a consultant for the New York State Department of Education until 2002. Lorraine loved to travel the world and would catalog all of her trips through picture and caption. She loved to learn of new places and the culture of different peoples. Her involvement with the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, her faith in God and church, along with countless community groups and organizations kept her endlessly involved. She was a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Wappingers Falls, where she faithfully served as church historian and as a member of the Black History Ministry. Lorraine was a charter member of Iota Alpha Omega, the local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She held several offices, including past president and program leader for Ivy AKAdemy. She achieved the distinction of Golden Soror in 2000, having given 50 years of service to her beloved sorority at that time. She was a member of the board of the Catherine Street Community Center, the Dutchess County Historical Society (past president) and chairperson of its Black History Committee, the Dutchess County Girls Scouts, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, the March of Dimes, the United Way, as well as numerous other organizations. She received countless awards and honors including the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Award in 2011, the Alexis de Tocqueville award presented by the Dutchess County United Way in 2010, was a 2007 Legends of the Hudson Valley honoree, was a 1997 Catherine Street Community Center MLK breakfast honoree, as well as a 1992 Black Achievers Award, presented by Beulah Baptist Church. In 2008, she led a campaign to honor Jane Bolin, the first black female judge in the United States and Poughkeepsie resident with the unveiling of her portrait which hangs at the Dutchess County Family Court building. She will be remembered as a faithful servant of God, community activist, educator, historian, and voice of reason. She leaves to cherish her memory her two sons, Kevin and Harlan; her daughter-in-law, April Massie Roberts; her sister, Doris Whaley; her brother, Lynwood Pettie; her sister-in-law, Cheryl Pettie; her three grandchildren, Lauren Barber, Tiffany and Danaya Jacobs; four nephews, Craig Whaley, William II, Richard, and Ronald Pettie; one niece, Dawna (Tai) Whaley; as well as a host of other family, sorors, and friends. Family will receive friends on Sunday, March 1, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Monday, March 2, 2015 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 2607 South Avenue, Wappingers Falls. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 2 at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, South Avenue, Poughkeepsie. Arrangements are under the direction of Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 East Main Street, Wappingers Falls. For directions or to send the family a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.