Mary-Elizabeth Fischelis Roberts
December 7, 1927 ~ August 10, 2006
Resided in:
Fletcher, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Asheville – Mary-Elizabeth “Liz” Fischelis Roberts, 78, of Plumlea Farm, Fletcher, died Thursday, August 10, 2006.
She was born in Philadelphia, PA and graduated from Friends Select School. She attended Guilford College and graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1951. In 1953 she married Marshall H. Roberts, Jr. and traveled with him to England while he served in the Air Force. After the Korea War, she worked with her husband at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley and at Asheville Country Day School. In 1964, she and Marshall moved to Millbrook, NY to run the Dutchess School. There, Liz taught, coached field hockey and fed and nurtured the children who boarded at the school.
Liz and Marshall returned to Fletcher in 1973 to manage the family farm and to start The Plumlea Angler, the first Orvis shop in the area. Liz taught at the Buncombe County jail for 25 years, wrote book reviews for the Asheville Citizen-Times, was an active volunteer at WCQS and served on the Board of Friends of the Library at Warren Wilson College. She faithfully attended all of the home games of the Asheville Tourists and was a lifelong Tarheels basketball fan.
Liz had a genius for making friends and bringing people together. The hospitality of Plumlea Farm is legendary and Liz’s prodigious memory and particular concern for everyone she ever met, of any age or walk of life, enriched many lives. She will be sorely missed.
She is survived by nieces and nephews, Krista Fischelis Goguen and Lisa Fischelis of Pasadena, CA, Mea Fischelis Sanders and Bill Fischelis of Seattle, WA and Peter Fischelis of Con-cord, MA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Barksdale F. Roberts and their children, Dr. Ruth M. Roberts and B. Fletcher Roberts, Jr., as well as ten great-nieces and nephews and many loving friends.
A graveside service will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 13, 2006 at Calvary Episcopal Churchyard with the Reverend David W. Sailer and Deacon Art Kingsley officiating.
A memorial celebration will be held Sunday, October 8, 2006 at the church.
Memorial donations may be made to the Friends of the Library at Warren Wilson College, PO Box 9000, Swannanoa, NC 28778 or to WCQS, 73 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801.
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To Liz’s family, my sincere sympathy.I worked with Marshall, and got to know Liz. She was a delight.
Every member of our family has the best memories and the warmest feelings thinking of Liz and Marshall, at Plumlea Farm but also when they were visiting Holland and coming all the way to attend the wedding of Pieter and Bianca.
Dearest Liz, rest in peace.
Frans & Benine and children.
I was so sorry to hear of Liz’s passing. We always enjoyed her presence and the light air she brought to WCQS. I had a special fondness for Liz, since we both grew up in Philadelphia and she was one of the few people in Asheville who understood the true essence and cultural significance of a ‘TastyKake’. We are honored that the station was an important part of her life, and will miss her.
We will miss her so much here in the Tearoom. She was such a wonderful supporter of me and what I was trying to achieve here. I came to love her dearly in the few months I knew her.