I have so many amazing memories of Becky. She was more than a colleague, she was a friend and a kindred spirit in so many ways. One of my first memories of Becky was after an outstanding presentation that she gave during her interview to join ORIA. When she left us for the day, I sat down with the search committee to get their feedback. One of the committee members said “Becky has gravitas and such a clear and compelling way of explaining things, we need to hire her.” That committee member was absolutely right and I appreciated her talent and professionalism so much over the years. What we didn’t realize we were getting was her dry, wonderful, sense of humor and her kindness and thoughtfulness that were apparent in her interactions with everyone –students, faculty, and staff. All of those characteristics made her a joy to work with and an incredible friend even when we were tackling complex and challenging issues together. One of my favorite recent memories is a conversation with Becky earlier this year about a mating pair of Great Horned Owls outside of my bedroom window getting up to all kinds of ruckus before dawn and waking me up in the early hours each day. During our conversation she asked about the owls, shared wildlife antics from her yard, and had me cracking up with some real zingers about the owls. I miss my friend every day and am extremely grateful to have had her in my life.
