23 Roy Roberts

Roy Roberts was born Roy Nunnally Roberts on December 13, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Clara Knox Nunnally Roberts Williamson and James McMullan Roberts. He was the grandson of the late Alethea Felker and Josiah Roy Nunnally and the late Susan McMullan and Colonel Orrin Roberts.

A graduate of Northside High School Class of 1958, Roy was a standout athlete who had college scholarship offers in multiple sports. He won All-State, All-State-Tournament, and All-Time Greater Atlanta honors in four years at Atlanta Northside. He was one-two in regional scoring his last two seasons.  His favorite sport was basketball, however, and he accepted an offer to play for the legendary Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky.

Roberts started as a junior and senior, earning Academic All-SEC recognition and All-SEC Tournament while serving as a team captain. He was credited by Coach Rupp as being one of UK’s all-time best defensive players. He graduated from Kentucky with honors.

While at Kentucky, he met and courted Suzanne Polk of Nashville, Tennessee. They were married on August 31, 1963, and moved to Nunnally Farms in Monroe where he operated a registered Hereford cattle operation until his death. He also was involved in the management of Nunnally Lumber Company and worked for a time with the Department of Agriculture.

Roy was very involved in the Walton County community. He was one of the “Dirty Dozen” founders and longtime Board of Trustee members of George Walton Academy. He later volunteered to coach the girls and boys basketball teams at George Walton, where his boys team won back-to-back state championships in 1989 and 1990. Additionally, he started the first Ducks Unlimited chapter in Walton County.

Roy continued to participate in athletics his entire life. He loved to play basketball, and his Senior 65 and over team won the National Championship in 2011. He was an avid tennis player, playing several times a week until his recent illness.

Roberts died on March 30, 2022, at Piedmont Walton Hospital in Monroe, Georgia, after a brief battle with cancer.