Elizabeth R. Barkley

Elizabeth Reynolds “Libby” Barkley died at 6:30 am Friday, December 16, 2022 at her residence in Florida.

She was born in McDowell, Virginia, a daughter of the late Russell William Reynolds, Sr., and Marie (Ervine) Reynolds.

Libby Barkley was raised in Fishersville, Virginia, where she attended and graduated high school. She later resided in Staunton for a few years before she married her husband William Alum Barkley and then started their family in New York. After their first child was born, Scott Reynolds Barkley, later they had their daughter, Linda Lee Barkley. After several years in New York they relocated to Miami, Florida and then had their third child, Patricia Ann Barkley.

Libby Barkley remained a homemaker and being a fabulously devoted mother who raised her family in the First Baptist Church of North Miami. She was active in all areas of the church from teaching Sunday school, singing in the church choir, preparing Wednesday night dinners for the entire congregation, and entertaining the youth group at her family home almost every Sunday night with pool parties and fellowship. She was very social and any one that met her loved her. She played cards once a week and bunko once a month with her lady friends. She also loved going to watch Miami Jai Alai on a regular basis and would also attend some of the spring training for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team in Miami. This love of sports was because she herself enjoyed participating in a variety of athletics since her high school days of playing basketball and then continued on with bowling on leagues four times a week, jogging nightly, playing tennis, and also getting out with her children and neighborhood kids and playing softball in the school yard located next to the family home.

One of her favorite enjoyments was going to the beach on a regular basis, collecting seashell s and also going out on the family boat where she would spend hours fishing. She loved preparing a huge picnic lunch for the family for every one of these outings. The cooking didn’t stop there; Libby made it her mission to go to the grocery store on a daily basis and cooked major meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She also had a flare for fashion and loved decorating her home and obviously loved clothes shopping not only for herself, but always made sure her family was well dressed before they left the house.

After she raised her children, her zest for fashion is probably what led her into a career with Lord & Taylor working as a makeup artist for Estee Lauder. She also managed to do a little bit of modeling during that time frame as well. Libby would take several vacation trips throughout the years to be with her beloved Virginia family, which consisted of her parents, six siblings and a number of nieces and nephews and a circle of very close friends. She loved spending time with them going out to eat, picnics and listening to music and dancing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son and her six siblings: Russell Reynolds, Jr., James S. and Robert D. Reynolds, Edith R. Jones, Francis B. Reynolds, and Doris R. Burns.

Surviving in her immediate family are her daughters: Patricia A. Barkley and Linda L, Bear, both residing in Florida.

Arrangements have been made for Elizabeth Barkley on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 for the viewing to start at 1:00 pm, and followed by a service starting at 2:00 pm, both being conducted at Henry Funeral Home in Staunton, VA. by Pastor Sylvia McDorman. The burial will follow at 3:00 pm, at Thornrose Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Mary Guffey, Sherry Hite, Chuckie Stuples, Bill Reynolds, Ray Bosserman, and Mike Thorne.

The family encourages that those desiring may make floral tributes in Libby's honor.