Dorothy Roberts of Pass Christian is a multi-talented lady. After retiring as a social worker with the state, she’s had more time for music and making jewelry. But that’s not all. She opened Robin’s Nest in the Pass and Roberts Place Café.
“I have always enjoyed making things. After a divorce in 2004, I began making jewelry,” she says. “With sisters in the media, my work was noticed and I created a small business called, Just For You Jewelry. I had the opportunity to sell my collection at festivals and in the Gulfport Art Center.”
She opened the gift shop in 2015, named in honor of her younger sister, Robin Roberts. “I knew I had to have a reason for folks to travel to the Pass to shop with us. Robin has a strong fan base here on the Coast, as well as nationwide, with her work on ABC’s Good Morning America,” Roberts said. “The store held my jewelry collection, the D. Roberts Collection, as well as other artisan-made jewelry. We also have pottery, local art, home decor, bath and body products, accessories and gifts for all occasions. I’m very proud we have been in business for 10 years.”
Roberts Place Café was opened in 2022 serving Southern American cuisine in a casual atmosphere with two intimate dining rooms adorned with family memorabilia. “My parents, the late Lawrence and Lucimarian Roberts, loved living in Pass Christian, and I wanted to honor their lives of achievement and service to others. Our customers often comment that the cafe is part museum and part restaurant,” she said.
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, as part of a military family, Roberts has lived all over the U.S and lived in Izmir, Turkey, prior to moving to Biloxi in 1969. The family moved to Pass Christian in 1975. A pilot, her dad had an illustrious career in the United States Air Force. His last assignment was at Keesler AFB.
“I loved living in Turkey. It was a fascinating experience. What made it so enjoyable was the opportunity to learn about another culture and the opportunity to travel throughout Europe,” she recalls. “On the way to Izmir we had a day layover in Paris. Since our plane landed at 8 a.m., our hotel room was not ready. My dad booked us on a day tour of Paris. It really expanded my vision of the world.”
Roberts is a graduate of William Carey University where she had a music scholarship. She earned her Master of Social Work at the University of Southern Mississippi. She raised her family in Long Beach and moved into the home her parents purchased in 1975 in Pass Christian after retiring from the state.
“After receiving my MSW, I worked for two years at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi as the Director of Social Services. While I truly loved the field of medical social work, it was very stressful being the sole social worker for a 100-bed hospital,” she says. “I then worked at South Mississippi Regional Center and spent 25 years working for the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.”
She says her parents are her biggest inspiration. “They both came from meager beginnings and were truly a part of the Greatest Generation. They instilled in me values of determination, kindness, strength and living a life of service to others. Nothing is accomplished in life without the ability to connect to others.
“They had the ability to bring people together and I just admired all they did in their lives. I am most inspired by people who have overcome challenges in life. We are all going to face hard times. It’s how we respond to those difficulties that reflect our true nature.”
Roberts feels blessed to have two adult daughters, Jessica Strickland and Lauren Hinton, who gave her three grandchildren, Ryan and Lawrence Hinton and Dovie Strickland, who call her DeeDee.
With two businesses and hobbies of jewelry making, cross stitching and taking an art class, she stays busy but being organized helps her get it all done. “My main hobby, however, is music. I sing with the Southern Miss Civic Chorale and I provide the music for my church, Old Town Presbyterian, in Bay St. Louis. I play the piano and sing. It’s something that brings me close to my mother, who shared the love of music with our family,” she says.
Robin’s Nest in the Pass
www.robinsnestinthepass.com
Roberts Place Café
255 Davis Ave., Pass Christian
228.222.4863
info@robertsplacecafe.com
