Beryl Edith Claytor Robbins

CLAYTOR ROBBINS

BERYL EDITH CLAYTOR ROBBINS

Was born at Freedmen's Hospital (now Howard University Hospital) in Washington, DC on December 31, 1930, the only daughter of Edith Lavana Moss and Berry Armstrong Claytor.

Beryl attended "The Garden of Children" private nursery school, Garrison Elementary, Garnet Patterson Junior High and Dunbar Senior High Schools all in Washington, DC. She graduated from Dunbar H.S. in June 1947 where she was a member of the National Honor Society and Captain of Company A of the High School Girls' Cadet Corps.

Beryl attended Fisk University for her Freshman Year, 1947 - 1948 then transferred to the University of Michigan completing the remainder of her undergraduate education and receiving a Bachelors degree in East Asian Studies in 1951. While attending the University of Michigan, Beryl met her future husband Robert "Bob" Joseph Robbins, pledged and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and also became a lifelong U of M football enthusiast. GO BLUE!! She completed a year of post graduate studies at Columbia University in New York.

Beryl returned to Washington, DC and worked at the Library of Congress (where her father also worked) from Summer 1952 to January 1957.

After several years of friendship, Bob and Beryl married on February 2, 1957 in Washington, DC.

Beryl continued her career as a librarian from the summer of 1957 until her retirement in December 1985 at Purdy Library, Wayne State University. She received her Master's Degree in Library Science (M.S.L.S.) from Wayne State University in December of 1972.

Since she was two years old, Beryl spent time virtually every summer at the family beach home her parents built in Highland Beach, Maryland. She loved the tranquility of the Chesapeake Bay and fellowship with family and friends.

In memory of Bob, a disabled World War II Veteran, Beryl always made generous annual charitable contributions to the Disabled American Veterans.

She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her son, Kevin (Juanita); her grandson whom she adored, Landon; her brother, Dr. William R. Claytor (Julia); nieces, Renee (Clifton) Icenroad, Dr. Risa (Victor) Claytor Washington, Maria (Kenneth) Washington and Valerie Anderson; nephews, William R. (Rina) Claytor, Jr., Troy Claytor, Rhett Claytor and Raphael (Karen) Claytor; cousin, Helen (Finley) Murray; brother-in-law, Donald (Sandra) Robbins; aunt, Geraldine Williams; and a host of grandnieces, grandnephews and friends.

Beryl will be inurned and join her husband in Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, July 2, 2007. The memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Ft. Myer (Old Post) Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH, 45250-0301 or www.dav.org.