Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore confirmed the death of his wife Roxane Gatling Gilmore. Roxane passed away Wednesday morning after a long illness, she was 70.

A native Virginian, Roxane Gatling Gilmore was born in Suffolk and graduated from Suffolk High School. She was an alumna of the University of Virginia, where she earned her B.A. in history, classics, and anthropology, and her M.A. in ancient history in 1978.

While a student and teaching assistant at the University of Virginia, Roxane met and married Jim Gilmore. In 1992, she began teaching at Henrico and Chesterfield County Public Schools. Roxane was a professor of classics at Randolph Macon College, where her classes included Latin, Women in Ancient Literature, Roman History, Greek History, Epic Poetry, and Roman Britain.

She leaves behind her husband, former Governor Jim Gilmore, two sons, Jay and Ashton, and a granddaughter.

Details of memorial arrangements will be announced in the next few days.