Frances Lightfoot Robb

April 28, 1928 - April 4, 2013
Frances Lightfoot Robb

Gifts & Memorial Donations



Frances Lightfoot Robb, 84, died April 4, 2013 in Williamsburg, Virginia. She was born in 1928 in Richmond, Virginia to Dr. Robert Gilchrist and Frances Howard Robb of Williamsburg. Francis graduated from Matthew Whaley School, attended Sweet Briar College and received a B.A. from the College of William and Mary in 1948.

After working briefly for Colonial Williamsburg and B. Altman in New York, she joined the national staff of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and was director of its Visiting Scholar Program from its inception in 1956 until 1977. Thereafter, she served as consultant to the program and also worked part time for the Williamsburg/James City Count Circuit Court from 1978 to 2000.

Frances was a longtime volunteer in the Special Collections branch of the Williams and Mary Library and was first president of the Williamsburg Historic Records Association. She served also as an officer of the Heritage Humane Society Auxiliary and the Williamsburg Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni Association.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Robert G. Robb, Jr. She is survived by cousins, Eugenia Robb, Ellen H. Eberly and Cary R. Howard.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Interment will be private at Gay Mont, Rappahannock Academy, VA. If you wish, contributions in her memory may be made to Special Collections of the William and Mary Library, Office of University Development, Gift Accounting, P.O. Box 1693, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8779 or Bruton Parish Church, 331 W. Duke of Gloucester Street. Williamsburg, Virginia 23185.


Purchase Flowers

Subscribe to this Obituary

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Tribute Wall

Please feel free to sign the guestbook or share a memory



Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


  • April 07, 2013
    Daniel T. McBride & Angelo L. Ramirez-Seda says:
    Expressions of Sympathy Daniel T. McBride & Angelo L. Ramirez-Seda has sent this Expressions of Sympathy card.

  • April 08, 2013
    Linda Surles says:
    Frances was a light in this world. I'm privileged to have counted her as a friend. Some of the happiest memories of my life revolve around her.

  • April 07, 2013
    Melinda Hazelwood Hofrichter says:
    My family and I will truly miss you. You were a gracious and wonderful woman. Love, Rob,Melinda, Hal, and Hannah