Margarete Tobias

TOBIAS ~ Mother Margarete Anderson Tobias was born March 3, 1931 in Pike County, Mississippi to the late Eddie and Georgia Anderson. She met and married Hosea Tobias May 10, 1947. Born to this union were eleven children. Mother Tobias accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Norfield Bethel Baptist Church in Bogue, Chitto, MS. She later moved to the Smithdale, MS area where she united with the Salem Baptist Church family. In 1975, she joined Springhill Baptist Church, under the leadership of Reverend J.C. Wells, currently under the leadership of Elder Kenneth Haynes, Jr. She committed to serving the Lord with longevity, serving as a Missionary Leader, Sunday School Teacher & Superintendent, Recording & Financial Secretary, Choir President, Church Custodian, and member of the Mother Board. Because of her zeal to see the youth of the church grow in Christ, in 2017, her children founded the Margarete Tobias Scholarship Fund which has awarded scholarships to six college-bound high school seniors. She attended public schools in Pike County MS. To pursue her aspirations of becoming a community and child advocate, she attended Natchez College and Hinds Junior College where she studied Early Childhood Development. She helped organize the first head start program in Amite County, Rosie Bower Head Start Center and became one of the first Head Start teachers and bus driver, all while working as a volunteer with the Southwest Mississippi Opportunity (SMO) Agency. She spent fourteen years as a volunteer Social Worker for SMO. She helped many families and friends navigate their way through the government agencies’ red tape. Working with the local NAACP, she was a champion for justice, equality, and the rights of her people, leading the community in social change. She was a lady with many talents. She worked as a custodian at Mechanics Banks in McComb, MS for many years. In 1982, she founded the first Cannery in Liberty, MS teaching the community how to preserve and can fresh foods. She won the 1st Place Blue Ribbon prize at the Pike County Fair for her exemplary display of canned preserves. She was the sole operator & supervisor of the Cannery until her retirement in 1996. In her retirement she continued to care for the sick and those in need and became a licensed Insurance Agent. Mother Margarete Tobias departed this earthly life on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at the home of her daughter in Jacksonville, Florida. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hosea Tobias Sr., sons, O.D. Tobias Sr., and Hosea Tobias, Jr.; parents, Eddie and Georgia Anderson, grandparents, Russ and Addie Carr; twin sister, Marjorie Rollins; brothers, Leroy, Homer Lee, and Eddie Anderson, She leaves to cherish her memories, her nine devoted children, Evelyn Bell, Earnest Tobias, Vera Brown, M.L. Tobias, Marilyn Dukes, Jimmy Tobias, Carolyn Simons, Donald Tobias, Keith Tobias; sons -in -law, Willie Dukes and Harry Brown; daughters -in -law; Rhenette Tobias, Cherry Tobias, Pearl Tobias and Lalitha Tobias; twenty -three grandchildren, O.D. Jr., Teontia, Teresa, J.C. Jr,, Taylor, Quentin, DeMarques, Kevin, Latoya, Tyler, Jackson, Angela, Tymeka, Stephen, LaKedra, Erica, Marques, Quontavia, Shlanda, Emma, Chastity, Yolanda, L.C.; devoted family friend, Demetra Wright; a host of great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews.

Service for Margarete Tobias will be Saturday, September 12, 2020 at Springhill Freewill Baptist Church, 5806 Springhill Road, Smithdale, Mississippi.  Because of the love of his family arrangements entrusted to J. E. Fralin & Sons Funeral & Cremation Services, 5065 Soutel Dr, 904.924.9400.

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