Obituary of Alexandra "Alix" Gayle Roberts

Alexandra (“Alix”) Gayle Roberts

Alexandra Gayle Roberts, 55, of Hillsborough, North Carolina passed away peacefully on the morning of August 18, 2022, with her husband by her side.  She was born in Würzburg, Germany to Dr. Norman and Helen Rudolph on April 30, 1967; at that time her father was an army physician stationed at the US Army Hospital. In 1969 the family moved back to the United States and, in 1970, settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island where “Alix” grew up and attended Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, MA, graduating in 1985.  Alix attended Rhode Island College (Providence, RI) and majored in history, a subject that became one of her lifelong passions.  She excelled in the history curriculum and was an outstanding student, graduating magna cum laude and winning a history award during her graduating year of 1989.  Alix did post-graduate work in history at the University of Toronto, specializing in English history of the peasantry during the Middle Ages, and earned her master’s degree in 1990.  Her love of history, reading and education opened the door to a highly successful teaching career - first as a Professor of History in the SUNY-Suffolk (NY) Community College system, where she progressed quickly, and followed by a professorial position at Alamance Community College (Graham, NC).  Alix had a gift of teaching history in a captivating storytelling like fashion and she had a positive impact on the lives of her students, inspiring many to continue in the fields of history and education.

Alexandra met John Roberts in the summer of 1998 and the two were married one year and one day later - July 24, 1999, by the Rev. Jonathan J.D. Ostman at St. John’s Church in Newport, RI.  Alix and John settled in Hillsborough, NC and welcomed the birth of their daughter Alexandra (“Alexa”) Elizabeth Roberts on April 18, 2003.  Alix had many and wide-ranging interests, including planting and maintaining vegetable and flower gardens, volunteering at the Hillsborough library, gourmet cooking (particularly French and German) and playing with and caring for her beloved Siamese cats.  From a young age, and into her college years, Alix was active in equestrian sports and competed with her own horse. She loved trips to the North Carolina coast and mountains, particularly Bald Head Island and Boone, and looked forward to and enjoyed visits to her home state of Rhode Island.  She was blessed throughout the course of her life to have had many close and dear friends and she looked forward to and relished the relaxing evening conversations with Marjorie, Dawn, Nancy, Susan, Jolene, Jennifer, Barbara, and many others.  She was a lifelong advocate of continued and higher education and helped to fund and establish several scholarships at Alamance Community College.  Alix also gave generously to charities that supported the care of animals and pets and education.

Alix is survived by her husband Dr. John C. Roberts and daughter Alexandra E. Roberts of Hillsborough, NC, parents Dr. Norman E. Rudolph and Helen Marie Rudolph of Portsmouth RI, and two brothers, Eric J. Rudolph and his wife Lynn of Portsmouth, RI, and Kurt N. Rudolph and his wife Adeline of Canandaigua, NY.  Alix also treasured her nieces and nephews, Max Rudolph, Wil Rudolph and Ava Rudolph of Portsmouth, RI, Erich Rudolph and Adeline Rudolph of Canandaigua, NY, and Carl Roberts of Brooklyn, NY.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 8th at 10 am at Saint Benedict's Anglican Church, 870 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Rev. Robert Hart Rector of the Parish).  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to the “Zip and Zap” fund (administered by Piedmont Veterinary Clinic in Hillsborough, NC; https://piedmontvet.com/), or the Alamance Community College (ACC) Foundation Scholarship (https://www.accfoundation.com/).

Walker's Funeral Home in Hillsborough is assisting the family.