"Mary Daly died this morning," the voice on the phone said. All the air seemed to leave the room, my lungs, as I struggled to take this in. I had known she wasn't well, had known for some time that her health was deteriorating and that this time was coming. Even so, how can any of us really be prepared for a loss this great, this enormous?

There are countless tributes to Mary, on the internet, in newspapers and other publications, extolling her genius, her absolute brilliance. We all know her contributions to womyn, her relentless and fierce unmasking of patriarchy and the insidious role it has played and continues to play in the lives of all womyn, of all female beings. She took enormous, incalculable risks for womyn. We all know this.

I want to write about a more personal Mary Daly, one I came to know when planning a reunion of feminists in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the summer of 2007.

Her intense love of animals, which grew even greater as she aged. She talked of a television program she saw, watching a small group of deer drinking at a pond, ever-watchful, ever-fearful of what might be lurking in the woods, at the edge of the pond. "They looked so vulnerable," she said. "I can relate to that now because I can't move quickly, I don't see as well, I am at their mercy . . ."

Her long conversations with our cat, Tori, who had an uncanny sense of when it was Mary on the phone. They talked to each other, Mary in her cat language, Tori in hers, elaborate conversations that only they understood. Often Mary would call and say, "I don't want to talk to you, I want to talk to Tori." I never had to call that cat to the phone; she was already there, waiting to talk to her new best friend.

Mary talked about a photograph on her wall, a wolf, and wondered what it would be like to actually be (italicized) that wolf, to feel her fur, feel the ground beneath her paws, see with wolf eyes. "You can do it, you can be that now," I told her. "Of course I can," she replied. "I forget that I can do that. Shape-shifters, we once were. I still am, you know. I might just show up at your house, a bird or a snake or a giraffe." "I think the giraffe would be a dead give-away," I said. "Well yeah, especially in the desert. Maybe a coyote."

Mary was eager to write another book, wanted help with the title. "Once I have the title, I have the book," she said. Writing was her life, made her feel vibrant, young, able to do anything and everything, able to feel less vulnerable . . .

Sitting in the warm New Mexico sun we watched an old woman being pushed in a wheelchair. "Not me," she said. "I don't want to be like that." "Would you rather die first?" I asked her. "I don't want to die, I'm afraid." "What are you afraid of?" I asked.

"I'm afraid no one will remember me," she said. I hope, Mary, that you can see the tears, feel the great loss we are all feeling, and know that we will never, never forget you.

And in that, there is great joy.

Joyce leaves this earth to enjoy greater freedom, joy, and peace and to have her work continue to enlighten wimmin who are discovering their own values and identity without the oppression and restraints of this world. Dr. Trebilcot is the daughter of the late Angela Dameral and Earl Trebilcot and a fourth generation Californian who grew up in Oakland, CA. She leaves behind her loving and devoted partner of 24 years, Jan Crites; dear friend Christine Hood; and many students, colleagues, friends, radical feminists and her SWIP (Society for Women in Philosophy) sisters.

Joyce Trebilcot, Ph.D. was the first womon to become a regular and later tenured faculty member of the Department of Philosophy, in the School of Arts and Sciences at Washington University beginning in 1970. She did her undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkley and received her Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1970. Professor Trebilcot was a co-founder of the Washington University Women’s Studies Program, and was its coordinator from 1980-1992. She was also a founding member of the Society for Women in Philosophy and Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy and served for many years on the editorial boards of Hypatia, Social Theory and Practice, and the Journal of Social Philosophy. She gave support and encouragement to many Lesbian projects including Sinister Wisdom.

She held visiting professorships at the University of New Mexico and at the Wheaton College in Massachusetts. She is the author of Dyke Ideas: Politics, Process and Daily Life; a published paper on Taking Responsibility for Sexuality; and many articles in feminist, lesbian and philosophy publications. Her article, “Sex Roles: The Argument from Nature,” has reprinted many times. She also was the editor of “Mothering: Essays in Feminism Theory”, and of a special issue of the Journal of Social Philosophy and Feminist Social Philosophy. Dr. Trebilcot retired as Professor Emerita from the Department of Philosophy in 1995.

Following her retirement she remained engaged in feminist dialogue with her colleagues, friends and anyone else whose attention she could garner. May her work continue to inform many to come.

Remembering Mandy...        

Mandy Doolittle, 59, lost her life on Monday, June 22, 2009 in the tragic Metro crash in Washington, DC. Life partner of Carol Anne Douglas (35 year collective member of feminist newsletter off our backs), Mandy was an artist and nature lover.

Mandy was a proud Texan who was the joy of her office at the American Nurse's Association, said executive director Jeanne Floyd. "She was highly committed to nursing around the globe. She was not a nurse, but she was the face of this organization internationally," Floyd said. "She was a joyful, joyful individual and I can't underscore that enough." She worked at the association for 10 years, developing international outreach and helping with global accreditation for nurses. Doolittle had lived in Italy for some years.

Quoted friend Ann Miller. "Mandy had such a zest for life, and bubbled over with excitement. She always greeted everyone with a wide smile, a giggly "Hello!", and a hug or a double-clasped handshake that she'd keep firm hold of while she asked you how you'd been."

From Woman, Earth & Spirit:

Dear Friends,

Julia Penelope needs our help. Julia is a valued part of our aMaizing Web and is also a volunteer editor for the Lesbian Documentary Media Project [as well as a contributor to SW]. For those of you not familiar with her, Julia is a Dyke who has contributed so much to Lesbian culture and community since the 1970's. She has developed and taught Lesbian courses, written and edited many books which celebrate our Lesbian lives and which explore and develop Lesbian thinking and values. Julia has done all this and much more for Lesbians over the years. And now she needs our help.

Julia is living in her own house in Texas and needs immediate and ongoing help on several levels.

• Financial-- to cover the costs of healthcare and medicationsfor mutiple health issues, including Type 2 Diabetes and COPD which seriously affects breathing,
• Financial to help cover daily living expenses since her limited income does not cover her needs. Repair and maintenance for her truck and house, both of which have had a range of problems which Julia has neither the resources nor energy to get done.
• Help with ongoing tasks. Specific tasks that may be helpful to offer to her: Mow the lawn. Walk her dog. Arrange for or do truck maintenance and repairs as needed. Repair the wall in her house damaged by a water leak. General yard and house maintenance.
• Also, offering support and to brainstorm about options-- such as selling her house and finding a living situation that would best meet her needs.
• Of course help as needed to prepare/move, etc...related to whatever decisions she makes.

Please offer whatever you can. This is a wonderful opportunity for Lesbians to pull together, as we do so well, and give back to one who devoted her life to building the very Lesbian community we are so lucky to inhabit. Through Woman, Earth & Spirit we are exploring possibilities of volunteers to address some of the problems either at Julia's or from afar. We don't know at all yet what might be possible if enough of us volunteer time, energy, skills and the money to cover volunteer and project expenses.

What can you do? What do you need to do it? Send your contributions of any kind-- ideas as well as what you can offer physically, by phone or email, or financially.

Donations are tax deductible. We thank you for anything you are able to offer.

Jae Haggard & jody jewdyke
CHECKS TO:
Woman, Earth & Spirit, Inc
Julia Penelope Fund
PO Box 130
Serafina, NM 87569
505-421-2533
www.WomanEarthandSpirit.org