You will be missed!

Dear Eulie,
NRRI will not be the same without you. You have been an inspiration and guide to me for almost 8 years and I will miss you greatly.

You were one of the first people I met when I came to Duluth for my orientation. This was a week after defending my thesis and a day after moving 1000 miles to a state I had never been to before. This was my first career job and I was scared to death. You were warm, genuine, and welcoming. You gave me a tour of the building, showed pictures and posters, explaining research and interesting tidbits about the institute and the area, answering all my questions, and making it clear that I could contact you anytime. You made me feel welcome and excited about being a part of NRRI.

It was not long after that I developed the opinion that you were responsible for the functioning of CWE. No matter what the question or confusion, you were always able to figure it out, even if I didn't have a clear sense on what I was trying to ask you. Usually, you would include an explanation of how things worked in order for me to understand how to correctly do something. Even more impressively, there was never a note of impatience if the same topic came up soon after (and often again and again). Oh, and you could run away and join a circus with those juggling skills.

I have always looked forward to stopping by your desk when in Duluth. You are the epitome of class and dignity and although I have long been amazed by the work you do, I truly admire you as a person. Your beauty was evident at our first meeting and I deeply appreciate all that you do and the manner in which you do it. Thank you so very much!

I wish you the very best in your retirement and on your next path. I can only imagine what you will accomplish outside of work with all the energy, skills, and talent that have been used for our benefit the past 20 years.


Best wishes, and huge thank yous,
amy

pcards and cats

Eulie,

Congratulations on retirement -- I remember two things about working with you over the years. First, getting called on pcard receipts once, twice and sometimes 3 times. It wasn't nagging, because I was negligent in turning them in. I did try to get them in on time :-). In the end most of them were turned in with a little help from you.

Second, the third year of the lynx project and you got in the field! We were in Isabella and got a call of another lynx in a trap on the gunflint trail but we we did not have another collar. You came up with the big blue station wagon and we got that one done too. Some of your pictures are still on the website (http://www.nrri.umn.edu/lynx/animals/collared/lynx_32.html).

Ron

Thank you Eulie!!

For over 20 years of helping me out and showing me the way when I needed it. From my first contact with you when you sent me a copy of the Duluth Sunday newspaper before I moved to Duluth, to your constant professional attention during my time with CWE, and your help in tracking down Jerry and Lucinda and their wandering ways since then, you’ve been a remarkably effective member and leader in that administrative office. But more importantly, you always accomplished those tasks with a characteristic style and grace that made working with you a pleasure. I’m glad I was able to be a colleague and friend and look forward to continuing that friendship.

Congratulations!
Carl

Job offer

Eulie, I hear you're retiring, congratulations! I have a cabinet post if you're interested, call me.
B. Obama

Next muffin meeting: EGMS for Dummies by E. Markham

Dear Eulie:

I saw firsthand how much you help folks figure out CWE/NRRI by the way you helped me. Coming from EPA, where things are done VERY differently, I was pretty lost my first year here, but you guided me through it. The problem is that you are still guiding me, I haven't learned everything yet, and now you are leaving.

So, to help save us all, perhaps when you get bored next fall you can come back and give a muffin meeting on 'EGMS for Dummies' to help a few more of us join the 21st century of grant proposal writing.

I will also greatly miss your friendship and support through all the adventures that my (and Dan's) families seem to have. But I know that you'll be having fun adventures with your own family, and I also know that if I need a shoulder, I have but to call or email you at home!

My husband greatly endorses retirement; I hope you enjoy yours as much or even more.

Val

Hi Eulie -

Thank you for a million things. Who else would clean the office refrigerator? Or refrain from cursing on the hundredth time I asked for the master key after forgetting my office keys 'in my other jacket pocket'?

But mostly, thank you for your cheery outlook and unending desire to just plain help. Whenever and however.

Now you'll have more time to explore the world on the good (=south) side of the bridge...

Enjoy!
Nick

Eulie,

Patience, poise, humor and always a sense of calmness in the eye of the grant submission storms. Thanks for all of your help on our past projects. You have provided me with a model of how grant support should be done.

I am sure you will enjoy retirement and the extra hours every day where you will have windows on the world. Enjoy!



Bruce Munson

Eulie,
I will miss your always welcoming presence. You were always the first one I introduced our student and other new employees to because you always made them feel welcomed. I'll also miss your calm demeanor during numerous crises over the past years. At least they seemed like crises at the time. I'm a bit concerned about allowing unrestricted access to the chocolate supply once you're gone. Maybe we should install a webcam so you can keep tabs on us remotely.

Enjoy and keep in touch,
Elaine

With heartfelt appreciate for your fantastic service

Eulie:

Tender my kindest compliments to your heart of hearts for the great service that you provided to us over the years at CWE. I have been here since 1987. We have been through some rough times and you have helped us in facing them gracefully. I have probably called you for help from distant shores of least four continents: India, China, Russia, Estonia, Slovenia, Italia, to name just a few. You have always been patient, resourceful, and helpful. I don't know what we will do without you.

Have a great retirement and hope you to see you from time to time.

I thought the following poem by the Nobel Prize winning Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, may exemplify the service that you provided us :
" Thou have made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again and fillest it ever withf resh life.

This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.

At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable. Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass and still thou pourest, and still there is room to fill.”

In: Gitanjali, by Rabindranath Tagore, poem # 1 (Macmillan Publishing Company, 1913)

Subhash Basak

More time for golf!

Eulie,

Finally you've decided that you simply need more time for golf? I don't make it up to the 'toot very often any more, but I always enjoy sitting down to chat with you. I will miss our conversations and your smiling face, but I will be happy knowing you are having a fabulous retirement.

Jane

Fewer numbers, more sleeping in!

I have never been fond of virtual management, but Eulie made it possible for us to ensure we made every deadline, despite the 100-mile distance. I can guarantee that the success of the Ely field station projects would be much diminished without Eulie's constant, unyielding support. I'm not sure how you remained "pleasant" and "seemingly happy to hear from me" and "not smashing things" in the face of the last year's turmoil in the financial system -- between the two of us, at least one could remain calm and make sure proposals got submitted!

As for retirement... learn a foreign language, a musical instrument, or join a book club, but stay away from numbers. So so so many thanks for all your support and friendship.

- Euan.

Happy Retirement

Eulie, I fondly remember all of your help and good humor when I worked at NRRI and later when I invaded with my horde of students and technicians from Notre Dame. You've been a mainstay at CWE that has made the wheels turn, the grants get turned in on time, and the research done. Those who remain must be quaking in their boots when they consider getting anything done after you leave. I hope that you have a fun-filled retirement--you have earned it.

Scott Bridgham

Eulie,

What can I say, we will miss your humor and wit most of all, and "WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITHOUT YOU!" Enjoy your time of not "working", ha ha, be sure and come back to visit, often.

Sue S

Congratulations, Mom!

Wow, you really are as important and well-liked as you always say!

(Just kidding, of course!!)

I can't believe you're retiring. I remember while growing up, whenever I hit a big milestone , you would say something like, "My baby's turning 18!...it makes me feel old." Well, now I get to say, "My mom is retiring...wow, I'm getting old!"

On the positive side - more time for babysitting!!

It's been fun to read all the posts from your friends and associates. I'm sure you'll be missed deeply. Enjoy your last two weeks!

Love, Dan

Congratulations Eulie on a well deserved retirement. Our jobs at CWE were made easier because you took the responsibility to make sure all the details were covered- budgets, paperwork. scheduling etc. All of those things that most of us did not want to deal with. Also, thanks for being there to answer questions and be the go to person for the many folks on our field crews over the years and all the students that passed through CWE over the years. I know that your golf game will get the attention that it deserves now-- Enjoy. JoAnn Hanowski (enjoying being mostly retired in Vermont).

Dear Eulie,

All the best in your retirement! I don't get up Duluth-way often enough these days, but, whenever I think of NRRI, you're always present in the picture. What a big change this will be! Thanks for all the help you gave me and taking interest in my life all those years ago when I was a wee-young master's student. You will be missed!

Lisa Schulte
Ames, Iowa

Ten thousand flowers in spring
the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer,
snow in winter.
If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life.
— Wu-men

Don't you stay at home of evenings?
Don't you love a cushioned seat
In a corner, by the fireside, with your slippers on your feet?
— Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
— Irish Retirement Blessing

Eulie,

I must re-iterate some of the above/below sentiment: Now what am I going to do? Who will be my companion on my budget number journey through the Netherworlds?

Most important, did we mention "patience"? Your heroic effort dealing with pesky 'ol GIS lab billing, etc. will be forever recorded in the "Patient Leaders of The Last Two Decades" (2nd revision) report currently under review.

Good luck in retirement. You will be missed.










Paul M.