Mrs. Inez Robbins Rogers

Inez Elizabeth Robbins Rogers was born January 3, 1921, to the late Henry D. Robbins, Sr. and Lizzie Grady Robbins, in Leland (Brunswick County), NC. She was the youngest of four, Henry D. Robbins, Jr., Elouise Robbins Smith- Solice and Essie Robbins, all deceased. When Inez was three months old, her mother died and she went to Wilmington to live with her father’s oldest brother the late Grant Robbins, his wife Mary Lane Robbins and their three daughters, her cousins Cora R. Wilson, Althea R. Green Kennedy and Carlotta R. Holmes. Because of her “father’s” (biological uncle’s) job transfer, by the time the deceased was three years old, the family moved to Durham, NC, where she was reared with her “niece” (biological cousin), the late Doris Green Allison. “Sweet Pea” or “Nez”, as she was affectionately called by friends and family members, graduated from Hillside High School in 1940. She married in 1942 to the late Charles Alexander Rogers. The Robbins family attended and join St. Joseph (now the Hayti Heritage), when Inez was a child, where she has remained. Inez sang in the Gospel Choir until her knees became arthritic and she was no longer able to “tip” down the aisle. In 1946, Inez received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Fayetteville State Teachers’ College (now Fayetteville State University). Her passion was teaching reading; her three daughters, three grandchildren and three great granddaughters were reading at four years old. Her thirty-four year teaching career began at Whitted School (then on Concord Street and later named Hillside) as a seventh-grade teacher. The next year, she was moved to another facility, the original Hillside (now named Whitted on the corner of Umstead Street and Pine Street (now South Roxboro Street) from which she graduated. Inez taught first grade there until C. C. Spaulding Elementary School was built where she taught first and second grades until the Durham City Schools (now Durham Public Schools) integrated their faculties and she ended teaching career in 1984 as a second-grade teacher. She taught Adult Literacy part-time at Durham Community College (now Durham Technical College). This teacher loved her profession so that she substituted in Durham Public Schools and volunteer at Triangle Daycare until she was in her 80’s. Her survivors include three daughters: Mrs. Sandra R. Alston, Mrs. Claudine R. Zimmerman and Mrs. Carolyn Rogers-Stone (Linwood), all of Durham, NC; three grandchildren: Charles “Rip” L. Zimmerman, Jr. (Penny) of Durham, NC, Mrs. Shannon Alston Rush (Kenneth) of Indianapolis, IN and Ms. Michelle Zimmerman Steele of Creedmoor, NC; three great granddaughters: Ms. Danielle Zimmerman of Greensboro, NC; Ms. Briana Steele of Atlanta, GA and Ms. Micayla Steele of Creedmoor, NC.; five nieces: Ms. Ernestine Rogers of Greensboro, NC, Mrs. Marguerite R. Jordan of Richmond, VA, Mrs. Dorothy R. Miller of Philadelphia, PA, Mrs. Essie R. Davis of (Robert) of Bakersfield, CA and Ms. Shirlyn Robbins of Stockbridge, GA; one nephew, H. Bernard Robbins (Janice) of Leland, NC); and last but not least, many, many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Inez Robbins Rogers

January 3, 1921 - May 15, 2018