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photo by Marcus Frazier
A truck speeds by on a portion of U. S. Highway 61 in Washington that was dedicated to Roslyn Daniel Tobias Saturday morning.
Road sign to honor victim
Published Sunday, March 23, 2008
NATCHEZ — Early Saturday morning Roslyn “Nikki” Tobias’ family and friends gathered to honor her life and her memory.
Tobias, originally from Natchez, was working as a schoolteacher in Atlanta when she was murdered less than two years ago.
To memorialize Tobias’ life. her friends decided to adopt a section of U.S. 61 South in her honor.
Against the hum of highway traffic, Tobias’ loved ones shared their memories of her.
Dawana Taylor and Tobias first met while they were at Tugaloo College.
“She became my best friend,” she said.
Tobias’ father, Ralph Daniel, gave much of the credit for the highway adoption to Taylor.
Daniel said Taylor coordinated the adoption effort from her home in Texas.
“There was a lot of hard work on her part,” he said.
But for Taylor, all the hard work was for her friend.
“We all want to keep her memory with us,” she said. “And what better way than to bring it back home (with the dedication) in the city she was from.”
Donning shirts specially made to honor Tobias, attendees stood in a circle to share their memories of her life.
Sylvia Letcher, a friend of Tobias’ since the third grade, said she thinks of her friend everyday.
“She was always a peacemaker,” she said. “She would do anything for anyone.”
Daniel also spoke fondly of his daughter.
“She was a beautiful person,” he said. “And she was a mainstay in this community.”
As the crowd of about 40 recounted Tobias’ life, the shroud that covered the memorial road sign fell to one side, revealing the entire sign.
“That’s her showing up,” someone said from the crowd.
Comments
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 12:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So sad, such a tragic end to a productive life! RIP Nikki, I am sure your family misses you! BTW, it's Tougaloo College.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 1:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As great as the road sign that serves as a memorial for this lady, the students she educated will carry on her legacy as they live out their lives. That was a nice thing for the family to do.
Posted by lostmom (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if they will put a sign at the end of briel st where justin wiley ,kristin holmes,and nick kirby were killed July 4,2007. I wonder if it had been a sign there stating that it was a curve ahead would the driver had been able to see it in time to slow down. My daughter was in that truck that night,as well as my nephew justin. I havent been to the wreck sight.I don think i can put myself through that. when i close my eyes at nite all i hear is kristin screaming for cody to stop or slow down. Only if cody would have just stopped and took a charge of simple assault,wreckless driving.would paid the fines and 3 lives wouldnt have been taken and he could have spared his Mother from visiting him in PRISON. My life has been a total nightmare,my family are all sicken by these deaths.Kristin was is my angel, and i miss her so much.Her brother misses his SISSY. Justin was her first cousin,he always told her she grew up to fast, and he always reminded me that he would take care of her.I trusted her to do the right things and getting into that truck was a bad mistake.WE dont know what will happen to cody,but I hope when he sleeps at nite he hears what i hear in my mind and that is kristin screaming for him to stop,stop and then total silience.Her life shouldnt have been taken that way,neither justin or Nick didnt deserve to DIE that way.RIP KRISTIN<NICK<WILEY>.MAY THE STAR SHINE BRIGHTER THAN ANY OTHER.I LOVE YOU......:: HAPPY EASTER:)
Posted by memphistngirl (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 1:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lostmom, I understand how deeply hurt you are and I understand that you are grieving, however, please do not come in this post taking away from the subject at hand. This post is to honor the memory of me dear friend ROSLYN NICOLE "NIKKI" DANIEL TOBIAS and ONLY that. It would be greatly appreciated if that is all that is done.
Posted by mzt39120 (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks memphistngirl, The article was about a woman that was killed by a MADMAN that had dedicated most of her life to other people mostly kids. Lostmom, the article wasn't about a sign that may have or should have been in a place which could have or may not have saved someone's life. I don't like to hear about TRAGEDY in anyone's family but can't we stick with the subject at hand. PEACE BE WITH MY FAMILY.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Do they know who murdered her? If so was anything done to the person?
Strange thing there mzt39120 and memphistngirl y'all want your family to have [eace but not lostmoms? Kinda cruel don't you think. Maybe she feels better if she talks about it as apparantly the sign make your family feel better. May PEACE be with anyones family that has faced a tragedy like this one....
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lostmom is feeling the depression of missing a child, just as Nikki's family misses her, just as I miss my nephew who was killed by a drunk driver 25 years ago. We all need to talk about it to ease the pain and grief just a little. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a family member in such a tragic way.
Posted by dottie (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 9:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lostmom, I understand your grief just spills over. I've never known your loss, but my heart aches for you. You must learn to live FOR KRISTEN and make her
proud of you. No daughter would want her mother to suffer as you do. A lot of us care about your agony
and pray for you and I hope you will be comforted in
knowing this.
And you others, bless you and I'm sorry for your loss.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you are hurting, please ask Jesus to come into your heart and help you feel His peace...you won't notice it at first, but eventually, you will feel yourself begin to heal.
I pray each mother and father realize this; children are a gift, on loan, from God. Ultimately, it is His will when they are to return to Him. If you know the Lord's prayer, pray it, each time you feel worried or sad.
May God bless each family having lost loved ones and may they be comforted in knowing that God is close to those whose hearts are breaking.
Posted by GopherBaroque (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jesus just left Chicago and he's bound for New Orleans.
Posted by itsjustme (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Those 2 comments were very rude. This article may have been about Nikki, but lostmom has lost her daughter as well. You people that lost someone close to you should know better than anyone how it feels. You should have not basically told her to shutup. She is still hurting as well. She will forever hurt. I (Thank God) have never lost a child and I hope I never do, but I am told it will get easier. Just remember that you will see her again. Just keep that in mind. She is now your gaurdian angel and God brought her to heaven to protect you lostmom. You now have your very own very special angel.
Posted by trulyblessed (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all, lostmom has my deepest sympathy for the lose of her loved ones.
In my opinion, I do not feel that the two people were being rude or heartless. Most people who post comments do not understand the significance of the blogs. The post a comment section is basically for viewers to leave comments pertaining to that particular article, where family and friends may come to read and find prayer, peace and comfort in knowing that others care. A majority of the readers tend to treat this as if it were a chat room. I too, have lost family members. To read some of the irrelevant, cruel, and rude comments is just ridiculous and sometimes heartbreaking. People (friends) talk about their trips and other news and gossip {like they are in a chat room} that have nothing to do with what the article is talking about.
To me, first sentence in lostmom's post makes me feel like she's questioning , "Why did Nikki get a sign on the highway and my child didn't." Therefore, I am sure that is how Nikki's family felt. I am also certain the Nikki's family and friends know the tasks that comes with the memorial and they will keep the area beautiful.
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
((trulyblessed)) I couldn't have said it better . . . your comments were my thoughts exactly. Don't take this article and turn it into a wrestling match! It is about the efforts of Roslyn “Nikki” Tobias’ family and friends who gathered to honor her life and her memory. They did the work required to get that sign erected dedicated to HER memory. Even though WE ALL have lost someone we love, to a tragic homicide, let's not be insensitive and disrespectful to the grief of others.
Finding a more appropriate place to display your dismay or grief would be the right thing to do. Don't question the good deeds of others because this article is not about you! My suggestion to ((lostmom)) would be to gather up your family and friends and use this article as inspiration to get your own sign dedicated to your loved one(s) (whereever you would like it erected).
As for ((yousaywhat's)) comments, well, sweep off your own porch before you start talking about how nasty someone else's is!
Have a TRULY BLESSED day!
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL ij...considering the articles you've hijacked! No offense intended (smile).
Perhaps, lostmom really could get an "in memory of Kristin" sign placed on the road where her daughter lost her life. What about a guard rail with "three" in memory signs along that curve with a do not drink and drive sign? Something really should be there.
(((Lostmom))) turn your eyes towards Jesus and open your heart to his peace. Jesus has compassion for you that you might not find in the comment section of a newspaper. Remember tincture of time.
Ralph Daniels is a good man and would have compassion for lostmom. Congratulations on the sign in memory of your daughter, Ralph.
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, ((Peace007)) no offense taken! You wouldn't be alluding to my postings during Black History Month, now would you!?!?!? *LOL*!! If so, that was "justifiable hijacking". However, MOST OF US HERE have hijacked an article or two! Unfortunately, though, none of the people who came to ((lostmom's)) defense came to mine. But that's okay, I have quite a few in my corner, too. As a matter of fact, I got quite a few private ND emails last month sharing support and requesting that I continue to enlighten . . . ALL YEAR!!! And, the positive emails came from non-Blacks, too.
I think we can get through all things through prayer and understanding!
Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
((lostmom)) I agree with ((Peace007)) maybe you could have a guard rail put in memory of your daughter & the two killed with her.
Have a petition drawn up & I'm sure people would be glad to sign it. The site has been a bad place ever since I can remember. Maybe the memory of Kristin can save other lives.
I hope you heal soon. When you lose a child your live is never the same again, I know I lost my son in 1970 & it's still very painful.
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
May the Good Lord bless each of you for whatever your needs may be. And please remember, just because "you" feel a certain way doesn't mean that it IS that way....... We have a vast mixture of every kind of person imaginable in this world.... different beliefs, different thoughts, totally different lifestyles..... That doesn't make any "ONE" the "right one". If that was God's plan he would of made us all clones...... thanks
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
memphistngirl & mzt39120 I hope you never know the pain of losing a child. We should feel nothing but compassion for lostmom. You can almost feel her pain reading what she wrote it was directly from a grieving Mom's heart. Until you have walked in her shoes keep your thougths to yourself.
Almost every article that has been written in the Democrat the forum has gone off track. Stories like this only remind people of their pain. She wasn't complaing only wondering if a sign would be put where her child died.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes, thetruthhurts, but it seems that some do want us to be clones.
ij, just remember this...even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth. (Ghandi) You don't need any support when you know you are speaking the truth; and sometimes, even when others oppose you...after giving it a little thought (pondering upon it), some will come to realize that the truth was what they were fighting against...we all know that the truth is what will set us free!
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well, if that were the case, Peace007, which ONE would be the correct ONE to clone the rest of us after?????? lol... I don't mean to make light of anything.... only that if "lostmom" (and the name says so much) got one little tiny second of easement from her grief, why would you begrudge ANYONE that???? There aren't many sayings that I take to heart, but one that I have used and tried to remember when in doubt is, "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Hope each of you have a great evening and how about we all count each of our blessings??? We have so many we take for granted.
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 6:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Clone us after peacemakers!!!!!
Posted by memphistngirl (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 7:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To all of you who felt like I was being rude I'm really sorry you feel that way. In my FRIST sentence, I express sympathy for her lost. HOWEVER, this is not what the article was about. I am not going to go back and forward about this and I STILL stick by what I typed. She too can have the same memorial done for her daughter as Nikki's family and friends have done for her.
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on March 25, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As is your right, memphistngirl. But so is it ours.... Where does it say that one loss is greater than another? It isn't like she took over the article. She has only made one comment even after all of the other supportive or negative ones.... anyway.... I am not trying to cheapen anybodys hurt. I just hate that there is not more understanding in this world of ours. Compassion is really not a hard thing to feel, in my opinion. It just seems bitterness, resentfulness, and hate are much easier to express than a tiny bit of compassion. Sad, but so is the state of our world. God Bless.
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