Sylvia Roberts Minton

Sylvia Roberts Minton, age 85, died on January 5, 2024, in Snellville, Georgia. Born January 17, 1938, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she was the youngest child and daughter of the late Edward Allen Roberts, Sr. and Ella Harper Roberts. Sylvia is survived by her daughter, Stacey Minton McNiel, her husband Jacob Bartlett "Bart" McNiel, and granddaughters Mattie Ella and Evie Louise McNiel. She is also survived by her son, Jonathan Douglas Minton and a grandson, Andrew Kentaro Minton. Sylvia was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Gary Loy Minton, her sister, Dorothy Genevieve Guynes, and her brothers, Edward Allen Roberts, Jr. and Ronald Earl Roberts.

Sylvia graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1955, graduated from Louisiana State University in 1958 with degrees in Vocal Music and Education, and completed post-graduate studies at University of New Orleans and at University of South Alabama in Math Education. She was a teacher for forty years at schools in New Orleans, Louisiana, Slidell Louisiana, Jefferson City, Tennessee, Citronelle, Alabama and Mobile, Alabama, including seven years at Central Baptist Church School in Mobile where she also served as vice-principal and 20 years as a math teacher at Murphy High School in Mobile.

Sylvia was a life-long singer including as a church soloist and choir member at each church she attended throughout her life. She met her husband, Gary, while she was singing and playing the piano. She also excelled in art as a painter. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, and reading. Sylvia also enjoyed playing word and puzzle games. Sylvia and Gary enjoyed traveling together, taking many special trips across the United States, Europe and other countries. Sylvia and Gary enjoyed game nights, going to the movies with close friends and family, and watching LSU tiger football. Sylvia partnered with her late husband, Gary, to build 17 custom homes in Mobile and Baldwin counties as the primary plan designer and decorator, including a final build in Fairhope, Alabama in 1997, where they resided for 20 years before moving to be closer to their daughter, Stacey, in Snellville, Georgia in 2017. Along with her husband, Sylvia was an active member of First Baptist Church of Mobile and an active member at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Sylvia was a two-time cancer survivor who endured with fortitude and resilience many medical treatments and complications over the last 18 years of her life.

A memorial service will take place at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, 5901 Hugh Howell Road, in Stone Mountain, Georgia on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 2:00pm ET. The family will receive visitors at the church from 1:00-1:45pm ET.

Donations in her memory may be made to Smoke Rise Baptist Church to benefit the youth ministries.