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Thomas Daniel Roberts Jr.
Incident
Correctional Officer III Thomas Roberts died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Roberts had served with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice for almost seven years and was assigned to the Tabor Correctional Institute's Transportation Unit.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Correctional Officer III Thomas Daniel Roberts Jr. died on November 16, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 59.
He is one of 885 officers honored here, and one of 10 at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Correctional Officer III Roberts gave the North Carolina Department of Public Safety 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer III Roberts.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Illness
North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has lost 31 officers; 10 of them lost to illness.
Thomas is one of 37 officers lost to illness in NC, 5.6% of the 664 remembered there.
Thomas is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Thomas is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2020, 7 officers at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice were lost to illness, more than in any other year.
In 2020, 12 officers in NC were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 5 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 19.
In 2020, 346 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2020, 347 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Thomas was 59. Of the 10 lost to illness at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice whose age is recorded, half were between 50.3 and 60.5; the middle age was 58. Thomas had served 6.8 years; the middle length of service was 14.6 years.
Thomas was 59. Of the 37 lost to illness in NC whose age is recorded, half were between 41 and 57; the middle age was 50. Thomas had served 6.8 years; the middle length of service was 16 years.
Thomas was 59. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Thomas had served 6.8 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Thomas was 59. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Thomas had served 6.8 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
November holds 30% of these deaths at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice; October holds the most, 40%. Mondays: 40%.
November holds 10.8% of these deaths in NC; October holds the most, 29.7%. Mondays: 27%.
November holds 7.8% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Mondays: 14.2%.
November holds 8% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Mondays: 14.6%.
How
Illness deaths account for 32.3% of all 31 deaths at North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, the 2nd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 5.6% of all 664 deaths in NC, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
His people
North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has 31 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.
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J. C. Freeman Sep 18, 1915
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Thomas Peter Sale Jan 28, 1916
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A. D. Spivey Aug 30, 1928
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Ernest B. Hux Aug 30, 1934
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James S. Chesser Dec 28, 1939
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H. Carl Keith May 25, 1945
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George S. Bowman Mar 4, 1947
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Kermit Dale Jackson Jul 21, 1960
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Earl Cranston Strickland Jun 2, 1969
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Randall Clayton Cupp
Jun 5, 1986
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Leslie John Besci Jun 28, 1992
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David Michael Anthony
Oct 27, 1998
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Shannon Cuddington Smith
Nov 9, 1999
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Edward Ashley Pounds
Jan 9, 2010
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William Lee Wright
Apr 11, 2012
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Keith DeCarlo Smith
Dec 1, 2012
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Meggan Lee Callahan
Apr 26, 2017
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Justin James Smith
Oct 12, 2017
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Veronica Skinner Darden
Oct 12, 2017
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Wendy Letitia Shannon
Oct 30, 2017
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Allen Bruce Trivett
Oct 10, 2020
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Michael Robert Flagg
Oct 26, 2020
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Charles Warren Harris, Jr.
Oct 28, 2020
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Thomas Daniel Roberts, Jr.
Nov 16, 2020
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Joseph Lloyd Greinke
Nov 20, 2020
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Christopher Eugene Sorrenti
Nov 30, 2020
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Julian Arsenio Priest, III
Dec 24, 2020
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Anthony Lynn Hardie
Feb 6, 2021
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Ledell Graham
Aug 30, 2021
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Dennis Eugene Boykin
Oct 12, 2021
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Helen Mae Smith
Feb 3, 2022
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
