Roberta Kyle West

WEST, Roberta Kyle, 86, a longtime resident of Richmond, Va., and earlier of Philadelphia, Pa., and Cape May Point, New Jersey, peacefully departed this life to join her loving parents, Charles Melcher Butterworth, Esq. and Catharine Sellers Pleasants Butterworth; her brother, Charles Melcher Butterworth Jr. Esq.; her husband, Joseph Frame West; first-born son, Joseph F. West Jr.; and her granddaughter, Eliza Pleasants West, on Tuesday, November 18, 2008. She is survived by four children, Frederic Kemp West and his wife, Hillary Talbot West, John Garland West, Robert Kyle West, and daughter, Jane Randolph Bench and her husband, Bruce Nelson Bench. "Grandma Bertie" is survived by five grandchildren, Kyle Sellers West, Emily Talbot West and her husband, Steven Allen Stenberg, Robert Nelson Bench, Jordan Randolph Bench, Christopher Kyle Bench; and two great-grandchildren, Dale Talbot Stenberg and Cary Allen Stenberg. Roberta was greatly loved by her family as well as numerous dear friends. Roberta graduated from Drexel University with a BA degree, completing her education started at St. Margaret's School, Tappahannock, Va., and Penn State University. She worked at insurance companies in Philadelphia and Richmond, earning an advanced Chartered Life Underwriter certification. After retirement, she was a longtime volunteer at the Shepherd Center, a member of Westminster Canterbury's community relations board and a member of the Richmond Women's Club, the American Association of University Women, the Virginia Museum and the Virginia Historical Society. She was a long-standing and faithful parishioner with St. James's Episcopal Church. Roberta was an excellent contract Bridge player, a talented and fanciful knitter of sweaters for family and friends; she loved fishing trips to Nag's Head and the Chesapeake Bay. To many in the Richmond community and elsewhere, Roberta was a loving and caring friend. Please join her family at St. James's Episcopal Church, 1205 West Franklin Street, Richmond, Va. 23221, on Saturday, November 22, at 11 a.m. to celebrate the life of Roberta West. There will be a memorial service on Monday, November 24, at 2 p.m., at Westminster Canterbury, 1600 Westbrook Avenue, Richmond, Va. 23227, and a private burial for the family at Hollywood Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to St. James's Episcopal Church or the Shepherd Center, 4900 Augusta Avenue, #104, Richmond, Va. 23230.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.