Elizabeth Huber

Elizabeth Paxton Huber, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at her home in Botetourt, with her family by her side. She was 93.

Libby grew up as part of a large family in the Riverland section of Roanoke, the daughter of William and Della Paxton. Coming of age during WWII and the depression had a profound effect on how she lived her life. She worked during her high school years at Woolworth’s in downtown Roanoke to help support the family. She graduated from William Byrd High School with a “commercial degree” which included shorthand and secretarial skills. 

She married Billy DeLeon Caudle and they had three children, Shari Savage, who passed away in 2007 at age 57; Larry Caudle, who passed away in Daytona Beach in 1994 at the age of 40, and Karen Kessler, who lives with her husband, Tony, in Roanoke.

Determined to have a career and support her children after her divorce, she began working at GE in Salem. There she worked for many years in Employee Relations, which also included working for the company store. She wrote and produced the GE employee newsletter. She retired as an executive secretary from the GE legal department in Charlottesville, Va., at age 55.

She met Heinrich Huber, a mechanical draftsman, at GE in Salem and they were married in 1961. As children, we watched from the upstairs landing as they and their friends had dancing lessons in the living room of our home, waiting for the parfaits that we knew would come soon. Throughout their marriage they belonged to the 200 and 300 Club, and became marvelous dancers. They enjoyed boating on Claytor and Smith Mountain Lake. Heinz was from Heidelberg, Germany, where they made numerous trips to see his family.

Libby’s focus was always on her family. In retirement she took a cake decorating course, making marvelous cakes for her grandchildren. Every birthday and holiday was spent at her home in Rainbow Forest, which they lovingly transformed into the resort-like home they were so proud of. Many memories were made in the pool with family and friends, and the grandchildren and great-grand children all learned to swim there.

There was also great sadness when Larry, then Shari passed on. But as the strong warrior she was, she persevered and we always expected that call from her at least 3 weeks before a birthday and holiday saying, “What are we fixing for Easter, Christmas, etc.” She overcame injuries sustained in a head-on collision in 1979, even though it affected her mobility the rest of her life.

She was always there to help Karen, Tony and their three sons, even when the boys would leave rubber snakes in the beds that they knew she would have the compulsion to make up. She was devoted to her granddaughter, Angel, and her great-grand daughters Rhea and Leia. Tony was very special to Libby and Heinz because he devoted his time in their later years to getting their groceries, taking care of the house and pool, and transporting them to their doctor’s appointments.

Libby was preceded in death by her 96 year old husband, Heinz, in August 2021. The last of her family to pass, she was preceded in death by sisters and brothers-in-laws, Claudine (Russell) Huffman; Margaret (Ray) Stewart; Betty (Ralph) Curd; Doris (Ed) Thurman; Dorothy (Robert) King; brothers Walter and Joe Paxton; and brother-in-law Bob (Esther Mae) Caudle.

Left to cherish her memory and celebrate her life are Karen and Tony; her grandchildren, Angelique Simurina; Daniel, Michael and Christopher(Lizzy Hopkinson) Kessler; great-grandchildren Rhea Adkins and Leia Simurina; former sister-in-law Esther Mae Caudle; brother-in-law Horst (Melli) Huber, Wiesenbach, Germany; and special friend Ingrid Gray. Special thanks goes to her caregiver, Carolyn.

Libby had the biggest and most generous heart. She was known by her doctors and friends as always being perfectly made up, elegantly coiffed, and dressed to the nines, but her favorite times were relaxing by the pool with her family around her, having a glass of wine. She will be greatly missed by all her family and those who knew and loved her.

Visitation will be 10 am, Saturday, April 23rd, at Lotz, Salem, with a casual memorial service following at 11. Please join us at Libby's home, 110 Dawnridge Lane, off of 460 East in Rainbow Forest, Troutville, for a light lunch and to raise a glass to this grand lady!

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Roanoke Public Library Foundation (RPLF)  or to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). Her books on tape were her lifeline in her later years.

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