Robert Venable Roper

Ms. Robert Venable Roper, II (Robbie), of St. Simons Island, died July 29, 2015, after a brief illness. A Georgia native, she was born in Atlanta on November 18, 1953, and was the daughter of Walter Gordon Roper, Jr. and Elizabeth Carter Roper. She was also the granddaughter of the late Capt. Walter Gordon Roper, USN, Ret. and the late Mrs. Robert Venable Roper, for whom she was named.

Ms. Roper attended The Westminster Schools beginning in 1959 and graduated in 1972. She attended Vanderbilt University and was a member of the Atlanta Debutante Club, 1973-1974. She returned to college in 1986 to complete her degree, attending Georgia State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in 1989. She made Phi Kappa Phi, received an award from the Phi Beta Kappa Faculty Group and she felt that these were among the happiest years of her life.

Ms. Roper adored fine music, regardless the source; opera; poetry; cooking; and especially classical ballet. As a child, she had been fortunate to study at the Southern School of Ballet in Atlanta, under the tutelage of the late Pittman and Karen Conrad Corry, formerly dancers with the New York City Ballet in the 1940’s and 50s. She made the Junior Company in 1965. These, too, were among the happiest years of her life.

Surviving Ms. Roper are her cherished, beloved and loving sister and family, Elizabeth Roper Hart; her one true “brother”, Leslie Thomas Hart, Jr.; her incredibly talented niece, Sarah Hart Lawson; and her fine and capable nephew, John Gordon Hart. Also surviving are Sarah’s devoted husband, Patrick Lawson, along with their delightful son, Will; John’s beautiful wife, Angela Hart; and their adorable two sons, Sam and Ben. All reside within the Nashville-Nolensville, Tennessee area.

Surviving as well are Ms. Roper’s loyal and generous cousin, Leslie Thornton White of Marietta, Georgia; and her most dear and devoted cousin, Piers Roland Carter and family.

Finally, Ms. Roper sadly leaves behind two of the best friends any person could hope to have, whose instant steadfastness and incredible generosity sustained her until the very end and whose true inner worth she only came to know a bit too late, dear, dear Beverly and Brion Trainor.

Ms. Roper will be cremated with a memorial service to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Center and Noah’s Ark Children Care Home, Locust Grove, Georgia.