Saturday, January 4, 2025
Nervous on my first day in the research division at OEO, I welcomed a visit from a stunning dark-haired psychologist in a blue shirtwaist dress. Iris was kind and encouraging but her mastery of research and general sophistication gave me a fright. Afterward, I worked with her any time I could. We collaborated for years, most intensely on leading a vital education study that redirected our (and a lot of other people’s) careers.
We also became close family friends. Diana and Pamela were wonderful big sisters to Alice’s and my children, Laura and Matt. Many of our cherished family memories involve the love, humor, and compassion of the Rotberg family, with Iris at the helm. They were among our first visitors when baby Matt came home and were there for many other milestones like graduations and weddings. Gene and Iris helped Laura with her college search, ultimately helping her choose Wesleyan, which has become the family school. They also talked colleges with our then sports-obsessed son, but finally conceded. “Yes, we see, what matters for Matt is Division One sports,” knowing that this would be temporary -- he is now a foreign policy scholar.
Iris and Gene have made everything better, whether in the lives of friends, the community where they lived, or the areas of public policy where they worked. Iris lives on in me, my family and everyone else she touched.
