A friend died today

I walked into the office today and another professor said a student had just texted her to say she was going to be late to class because she (a lifeguard by trade) had to give CPR. We quickly found out it was Joanne. She was an English prof, the one I took the vampire class from.

By the time I had to head out to PT, I didn't know if she had collapsed in the parking lot or the classroom, just that her student tried to save her. Joanne was eccentric and outspoken and well loved. She was retired, only on campus as an adjunct to help out.

Creepily enough, since I've been here, she's the second professor to die in Wood Hall and three others who taught there died within weeks of getting a bad diagnosis. I'm beginning to wonder about that place.

Joanne and I didn't work together of course, her being creative writing: poetry. She loved my stories. I gave her Kept Tears for her retirement. We spent time talking Buffy and Spike and Dracula. We were usually on opposite sides but it was FUN to talk literature and pop culture with her. We both loved amber jewelry and both loved cats so when we weren't at work, at various parties we would talk. I got her into steampunk.

Just now on facebook I saw this tribute to her. I don't feel I need to share it there since almost all of Rio already has. This Steve Jobs quote really fits her.




Goodbye Joanne. I know you're going to make your next life as adventurous as the one you just left.