Margaret Laster, also known to some as Roberta Teresa Margaret (Mar ga ret) Sprott, was born on March 5, 1929 to the late and great Alberta Thomas (Rector) and Willie Sprott. She was born in Huntsville, Texas and remained in that city until her late teens.

Margaret Laster was introduced to the word of God and Christianity at an early age. She was baptized at Pine Bluff Baptist Church. In her teens she moved to Houston to live with a relative and to pursue a better education. After she became an adult, she joined Friendship  Baptist Church in 4th Ward. While there, she joined the choir and the quartet of the church. The quartet visited many churches and performed musicals all over Houston. After living in the 4th Ward area for many years, she moved to Kashmere Gardens, 5th Ward, the NICKEL where she remained until 30 years ago.

Margaret joined Zion Hill Baptist Church, where she joined the choir. She sang in the Adult Choir, Women’s Choir and the Gospel Choir. She led many songs and her soprano voice could be heard all over the church, even without a microphone. When asked why she never tried to go pro, she would say she didn’t want to sing the Devil music. Following the passing of her mother, she moved to Huntsville where she joined New Zion Baptist Church. As you would guess, she joined the choir. She sang with the choir for many years until her health began to fail. With her home being right across the street from the church, she was always there. She went to bible study, choir practice and also taught Sunday School. Whenever the doors of the church opened, she was there and she was always talking about paying her tithes.

If anyone saw Margaret outside, she was either working in her garden, cutting the yard or going to the mailbox. Going to the mailbox was her daily activity for exercise. The yard was very large and she cut it until she reached the age of 86. On or around May 9, 2015 was the last time that she would cut her yard. The following day the church members noticed that she may have had a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital and continued to be in and out of the hospital for the next five years. After leaving the hospital, Margaret lived with her son Larry, until she had to be moved to a nursing home.

Margaret left this world to be with her Savior on July 2, 2020. She is survived by her children: Latresher Campbell, Larry Shaw and Willard Laster; five grandchildren; one great-great grandchild and a host of additional relatives and friends.