After over 30 years with the Forest Service and Passport in Time, our own Barbara Beasley has decided to hang up her trowel and retire! Barb came on board in January of 1992 to be the first Paleontologist in the U. S. Forest Service! She has likely forgotten more about paleontology than most others have yet learned, and she has taken her training, knowledge and expertise from the field into the academic settings of university and has opened her studies to the public through Passport in Time. She’s been involved with more than 40 projects since the early 1990s, has taken on some 350 PIT volunteers to help her complete them and, alongside her PIT volunteers and students, has contributed more than 800 field and laboratory hours to her “dino” projects.Barb is quite the character; a real pistol – people absolutely adore her and love working with her. From her charming drawling accent and warm personality to her fantastically sharp mind and depth of knowledge, Barb is an absolute joy. We at the PIT Clearinghouse can’t say enough about Barb. We can’t praise her highly enough, nor thank her enough for all she has done. She has been one of the most delightful and dedicated PIT leaders we’ve ever had the privilege to work with, and it is quite possible that neither PIT nor the FS will see her like again – at very least, her successor will have some mighty big shoes to fill. We will certainly miss working with her every year!
Congratulations on your retirement, Barb! We’re very happy for you. Thanks for your years of hard work and dedication to us personally, and to the PIT Program in general – happy trails!
