Madeleine Herbert

With profound sadness, we announce the peaceful passing of Madeleine Herbert, our loving and devoted mother, and friends to all whose lives she touched on April 27, 2021, while surrounded by her family. She was 100.7 years young.

Born in 1920, she witnessed and participated in incredible changes to her world, including attending a speakeasy at age seven, which was inadvertently raided, witnessing firsthand as a teenager the New Year’s Eve “Ball” dropping in Times Square, playing in a winter piano recital in Buffalo, NY, with rave reviews from the press, despite the keys freezing up in mid-performance, and serving her country as an Army social worker during World War II.

Madeleine first attended Rutgers University, then The Julliard School on a full scholarship, and was a very talented and gifted flutist, pianist, and organ player. She was an accomplished gourmet cook, fluent in French, possessed a keen intellect, who believed in life-long learning as evidenced by her proficient use of computer technology beginning at the age of 80, and passion for reading and discussing challenging and complex subjects. She was also a lifelong fitness enthusiast, who worked with her personal trainer and friend, Rob Smith 2-3 times a week up until her 100th birthday.

She possessed a unique insight into understanding others and was a truly skilled listener who dispensed large doses of empathy, knowledge, and wisdom, with a servant mindset, who dearly loved her family. Madeleine had a lifelong commitment to her faith in God.

She was the beloved mother of Robert Jr., John, Marilyn, son-in-law Steve; aunt to Bill and Janet Daniels and Dr. James and Judy Adams, and cousin to Herve ^, , Nathalie, Anton, and Celine Cariou.

Predeceased by her husband, Dr. Robert Herbert, parents Berthe and Louis Michy, and daughter-in-law Frankie.

The family wishes to convey their gratitude to Dr. Stan Parris, senior pastor of Franklin Heights Church, the staff of the Oaks at Richfield Living, and to the staff at Good Samaritan Hospice, including recognizing nurse Venessa Stosser, social worker Alli Stump and chaplain Tammy Jaffee.

A celebration of Madeleine’s life will be held on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. at Franklin Heights Church, 110 Hilltop Dr, Rocky Mount, VA 24151.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Franklin Heights Church at 110 Hilltop Dr., Rocky Mount, VA 24151, Good Samaritan Hospice at 2408 Electric Rd, Roanoke, VA 24018, or Richfield Living at 3730 Richfield Lane, Salem, VA 2415. Online condolences may be expressed through https://www.florafuneralservice.com/