HEATHSVILLE, Va. – Robin Cooke Machen, 66, formerly of Bangor, died March 30, 2012, after an 18-month battle with breast cancer. She was born June 16, 1945, in Hampton, Va., to the late Luther W. and Emmy Lou Machen.
Robin graduated from Hampton High School and Bridgewater College, and retired as a social worker from Hampton Department of Social Services, Westmoreland County Department of Social Services, both in Virginia, and Bangor Health and Welfare. Robin had a big heart and wide smile. When she wasn’t helping others, her great loves were bird watching, driving, traveling, golfing, reading and anything to do with nature. She especially enjoyed watching the Dallas Cowboys in the company of her two cats, Mater and Felix.
She is survived by her sister, Mary Lou Ford (Woodrow) of Norfolk, Va.; nephew, David Machen and wife, Lisa, of Mathews, Va.; two nieces, Susan Kilpatrick and husband, Bob, of Hardy, Va., and Carol Chavez and husband, Ron, of Tijeras, N.M.; stepdaughter, Bridgette Chalila and husband, Rob Spreng, and her brother, Ulemu Chalila, and all the Chalila-Spreng family of Bangor; cousins, Nancy Fuchs of Burgess, Va., and her daughter, Amy of Kilmarnock, Va., and Mary Fern Bourne and husband, Jim, of Bena, Va.; and faithful friend, Mary Steed Ewell of Yorktown, Va., who was her guardian angel during her long illness. She will be missed by a host of family, friends and coworkers who supported her through this illness.
Interment will be 10 a.m.
April 4 at Parklawn Memorial Park, 2551 North Armistead Ave., Hampton, Va., and a memorial service will begin 11 a.m. at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home, 245 South Armistead Ave., Hampton, Va. Another memorial service will be held later in Bangor. Memorial contributions may be made to Mid-County Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 355, Heathsville, VA 22473; or Animal Orphanage, P.O. Box 565, Orono, ME 04473.