Roberta James

Roberta R. James, 89, a resident of the Kootenai Valley for the past 54 years, died Monday evening, May 8, 2006, at the Libby Care Center.

She was born at New Castle, Pa., to Wilvan Russell and Pauline Paddock Russell on June 19, 1916. The family later moved to Pana, Ill., and remained in Illinois where she graduated from high school at Glen Elen.

She married George James on April 26, 1935, and they remained in the greater Chicago area until coming to Libby in 1952. In Libby, her husband worked for the U.S. Postal Service and later served as postmaster for many years.

Her main interest for many years was being an active mother and wife and providing a good home for her family. She had been a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church and Presbyterian Women's Association.

Roberta enjoyed playing bridge and visiting with all her many friends; she and her late husband George also had enjoyed traveling, both in the United States and throughout Europe.

She was preceded in death by her husband George in 1998 and a brother, Lt. Charles Russell, who died in action in the Phillippines during World War II.

She is survived by her sons, Larry James and wife Cheryl of Lake Forest, Calif., and Charles (Chuck) James of Libby; a grandson, Kyle James of Pacific Grove, Calif.; and great-grandson Connor.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wallace Smith officiating. Interment services will follow at the City of Libby Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 1 to 8 p.m. on Thursday.