Colleagues, family remember nurse - January 1, 2005

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2005-01-27

Document text

48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   Menu Guide   How To Guide   Wellness Connection   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Real Estate Guide   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Passport to the Rogue Valley   EXTRA   Newspaper in Education   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   Volunteer Opportunities   Moving to Southern Oregon?   MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad  eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit   Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 1, 2005 Barbara Roberts Colleagues, family remember nurse A nurse who has touched families locally and across the world has died. The memorial Mass for Barbara Roberts, 44, of Central Point, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Medford. A reception will follow in the parish hall. Roberts was hospitalized on Dec. 17 after her heart stopped beating. She died at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday in Rogue Valley Medical Center, said her sister, Serena Roberts, of Florida. "She was surrounded by so many people," Roberts said. "The room was just full." Barbara Roberts worked as a nurse in RVMC’s neonatal intensive care unit for 10 years. Former patients and their parents telephoned, sent flowers and traveled from out of state to visit Roberts’ bedside, her sister said. Colleagues grieved locally and in Portland, where Roberts frequently accompanied premature babies for more intensive treatment. A candlelight vigil was held last week at RVMC in Roberts’ honor. Co-workers recalled the hundreds of families Roberts helped and her compassion for others. In February, she organized a garage sale to raise money for three RVMC nurses whose families were struggling to pay medical bills. Advertisement Roberts earned a master’s degree in nursing and worked for several years with Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service. She delivered more than 500 babies in remote areas of Australia before coming to Southern Oregon about 10 years ago with her daughter, Elena, now 10. Roberts met her husband, Steve Switzer, in Medford. They married in October in Hawaii. Roberts had been treated for cardiomyopathy, an inflammation of the heart muscle that can cause poor cardiac function. Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to RVMC’s neonatal intensive care unit. Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback   ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers