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Celebratio Mathematica

Georgia Benkart

Gloria Mari Beffa and Sigurd Angenent
University of Wisconsin, Madison

(colleagues, friends, neighbors)

Our memor­ies of Geor­gia go back 30 years to when we ar­rived in Madis­on. She was at home when we cel­eb­rated our kids’ births, played ten­nis to­geth­er, was there for mul­tiple din­ners and laughter, and was there again when our kids gradu­ated. She was someone we al­ways loved to talk with about any­thing; she was happy to have lunch to dis­cuss some as­pect or an­oth­er of Lie al­geb­ras that was con­fus­ing; and we had mul­tiple e-mail ex­changes about math. We talked about the AMS and ad­min­is­tra­tion; she was al­ways will­ing to share her wis­dom with us. And we know that she did that with a count­less num­ber of people, hav­ing both per­son­al and pro­fes­sion­al con­nec­tions at the same time, al­ways be­ing there to help and at the same time al­ways ready to en­joy and have some fun. It is dis­or­i­ent­ing to think she will not be around any longer, but she was typ­ic­ally happy and ter­ribly busy to the end, as it should be.