Roberta Buckley

Roberta (Bobbie Mathews) Buckley, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at her home on July 12, 2022 at the age of 97. She was surrounded by her extended family, including all eight of her children. Also present were many of her adoring nineteen grandchildren.

Bobbie, a fourth-generation Californian, was born to Arthur Mathews and Cecily (Mytton) Mathews. She was raised in San Francisco, graduated from Lowell High School, attended City College, and graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1947. She married John Edward Buckley III in 1948. In 1954, they purchased a home in Terra Linda, where they raised their children until their divorce in 1968. Bobbie returned to work as a social worker for Solano County and retired as a CPS Supervisor after 25 years. She was president of her chapter of Alpha Delta Pi while at Berkeley and president of the Marin chapter of the ADPi Alumnae, where she and her sorority sisters began donating to The Crippled Children’s Society, which later became known as Easterseals. The “girls” met for lunch over the next fifty years to raise money for Easterseals and became lifelong friends. She remained active in various clubs, including two bridge groups. She traveled throughout the U.S., to Mexico and Europe. She also loved to dance because you should “Never Miss a Thing.”

She loved her family deeply, and her home was a central hub for her family through the years. She opened her home to numerous family friends as well.

She is survived by her eight children, Mark (Kristina), Barry (Pat), John, Kim Stafford (Bob), Robert (Linda), Susan Fisher, Catherine

(“Katie”) Long (Kevin), and Beth; her grandchildren, Kelly Buckley, Philip Buckley (Moriah), Kathryn Buckley, Kelin Buckley (Colin Shinners), Sarah Buckley, Robert Stafford, Arthur Stafford, Cecily Stafford, Benjamin Buckley, William Buckley (Karla), Joseph Buckley, Mary Hymas (Jacob), Victoria Buckley, Kelsey Paddock (Jared), Nolan Fisher, Brooke Long, Miles Schon, Elizabeth Schon and Jorja Dwyer; fourteen great-grandchildren (and two on the way); her nephews David Mason and Geoffrey Colt and niece Kendall Heckendorn (John). She was predeceased by her parents, her grandchildren, Matthew Buckley and Brian Buckley, her sisters, Phyllis (Pat) Mason and Beatrice (Bea) Colt, and her nephew, Bradley Colt.

Bobbie lived out her faith with her love, hospitality and great interest in whomever she was with at any moment. We miss her dearly and were blessed that she kept her wits, sense of humor and health for so long.

An outdoor Celebration of Life and reception will be held at the Elks Lodge, 1312 Mission Avenue, San Rafael, CA from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. on September 11, 2022. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Easterseals Northern California, 2730 Shadelands Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94598