Elspeth Jean Robertson Blakeman

June 30, 1955 - February 3, 2017
Elspeth Jean Robertson Blakeman, born June 30, 1955, in Alexandria, Virginia, lost her battle with cancer on February 3, 2017. Funeral services were held in Cleveland, Mississippi, but a celebration of Elspeth's life will be held here in San Antonio on Monday, June 19th at 10:30 AM at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 315 E. Pecan Street.

Elspeth graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1973, from Sullins College in 1976, and from Maryville College in 1978. She went on to earn her Master of Library Sciences degree in 1980 at George Peabody College for Teachers which is now a part of Vanderbilt University. While there, she met her husband, Randolph Blakeman, who was also a candidate for MLS. They were married on June 14th of that same year at Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, Virginia. Elspeth went on to have a fulfilling career as a librarian specializing in children's literature, notably for the San Antonio Public Library system at the Las Palmas Branch and the Great Northwest Branch libraries. Outside of her dedication to her family, music and literature were the things that Elspeth held dear to her heart. She was an avid musician, spending her summers throughout her school years at the Brevard Music Center, as well as singing several times at the Berkshire Choral Festival. She played violin in the UTSA orchestra from 1981-1997, and in the UIW orchestra from 1998-2014. Elspeth dedicated herself to church music, singing at both St. Francis and Christ Church Episcopal choirs before her tenure with the St. Mark's Episcopal Church choir, singing soprano for almost two decades from 1996-2014.

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Randolph Blakeman of Cleveland, Mississippi; sister, Holly Taylor Mitchell; sister-in-law, Janet Abernathy Robertson; as well as several nieces and nephews. She leaves behind a host of friends whose lives she touched in so many ways.