Oct. 1, 1931 – Oct. 10, 2019

CLEVELAND, Tennessee — A celebration of life services for Katherine “Kat” Elizabeth Cockrell Roberts, 88, who died Sunday morning, Oct. 20, 2019, will be 2 p.m. Friday at the Jim Rush Funeral and Cremation Services North Ocoee Street Chapel, 2603 N. Ocoee St., N.W. in Cleveland, Tennessee 37311.   
Graveside services and interment will be conducted 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at the Chattanooga National Cemetery with family and friends serving as casket bearers.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Roberts was born Oct. 1, 1931, in Shaw, the youngest of 11 children, to the Rev. Mac and Bertha Cockrell.
Her early life was spent mostly on the family’s rural Mississippi cotton farm and in church. It was there at the Pilgrim Rest Church of God that she met her husband of nearly 70 years.
Shortly after her marriage to Julius Wasson Roberts in 1950, he was off to serve in the Korean War. After his safe return from service, Julius and Kat began a life of strong faith, service and ministry. Katherine faithfully labored alongside her husband throughout the state of Mississippi and spent 30 of those years ministering at the McNeely Road Church of God in Natchez. She wore many ministry hats including Bible teacher, choir director, mentor and Mississippi State Ladies Board member.
As well as her role as “church mom” at the Natchez Church of God, she had two children of her own — Julius “Butch” Wasson Roberts (who preceded her in death) and Reneé Roberts Moore and husband, Tom.
She was loved and will be deeply missed by her husband, Julius; daughter Reneé (Tom); four grandchildren, Ryan (Morgan), Caleb, Annalise (Blake) and Carly (Jackson); three great-grandchildren, Nora, Lucy and Emerson; and her friends, neighbors and church family.
Special thanks to family members, friends and the Caris Health Care team who tirelessly assisted in her care.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at jimrushfuneralhomes.com.