Roberts
POUGHKEPSIE – A well-respected and well-known educator and community activist, Lorraine Roberts, died on Monday, February 23. She was 84.
Mrs. Roberts was a devoted teacher, who began in 1966 teaching business at Poughkeepsie High School, and retiring as occupational education chairwoman in 1996. She went on to be a consultant to the state education department until 2002.
She was involved in a great many religious and community groups.
Roberts 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 Awardee presented by Beulah Baptist Church.
“Dutchess County has lost a tireless advocate for education in its broadest sense,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. “Lorraine Roberts applied her indefatigable energy and expertise to broadening opportunities for community learning.”
Molinaro said she was “widely-known for unearthing the region’s African-American history, her work transcended racial issues, broadening awareness on the experience and impact of many overlooked groups.”
