Very sad - she was always there when I needed her, especially when I needed to immediately talk to someone about bees and couldn’t get ahold of anybody else. I didn’t want to bother her, but she never seemed bothered.

That makes me wonder if I was there when she needed me. I believe I offered to help her and Larry if they ever needed it, but I don’t remember now—it’s been so long since I visited them at their home.

She was a significant mentor in my bee education. She shared seeds of many pollinator plants with me—and with everybody else. I have a forest of Cleome now, grown from the seeds Naomi gave me, and I’ve since passed those seeds on to others.

I was going to call her recently about some Bethany I got from her last year that wasn’t doing very well, to see if she had any ideas on how to get them going again—but I didn’t get around to it in time. I’m glad I did get around to visiting her at their property in Prineville a few years ago.

I will miss her. She will live on through the seeds and plants that she disseminated, the COBKA community, and my memories.

I would also like to thank Larry for all that he has done, directly and indirectly, for all of us in the bee community.

- Rod Jacobson