Rockwell, Jean Leys

Jean Leys Rockwell, 90, formerly of Radford, Va., died on Sunday, August 4, 2013, in Middletown, R.I. Born in Newport, R.I., on February 12, 1923, she was the daughter of the late William and Aline Leys of Newport. Jean graduated from Rogers High School in 1940, attended Wellesley College, and graduated from Brown University in 1944.

After graduation she worked at Kidder Peabody in Newport until her marriage in 1947. She moved to Radford in 1967 and lived there until 2010, when she moved to Charlottesville, Va. She worked as a librarian in the Radford Public Library from 1971 to 1996. She was adventuresome in spirit, spending three years in Europe early in her marriage and moving from New Jersey to Utah to Virginia in later years. She made good friends everywhere with her constant good humor and positive attitude. She was active in St. Jude’s Catholic Church for many years. She played bridge weekly, was an avid reader, and knitted numerous afghans for every member of her family. She was a joy to be around and will be missed dearly by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Gorman Rockwell; her son, Walter Bruce Rockwell; a granddaughter, Grace Peterson; and a sister-in-law, Patricia Leys. She leaves four children, Jan and husband, Rick, of Shelburne, Vt., Bill and wife, Sally, of Charlottesville, Va.; Susan of Charlottesville, Va., and Tom and wife, Sue, of Richmond, Va.; daughter-in- law, Stacey Rockwell Martinez, of Fairfax, Calif.; two brothers, Bill of Newport R.I., and David and wife, Judy, of Middletown, R.I.; eight grandchildren; and 10 nieces and nephews. A Funeral Mass will be held at noon on Wednesday, August 14, 2013, at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Radford, Va.