It is with great sadness and disbelief that we share the recent
passing of our dear wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend,
Rebecca Randall Beneš, age 34, of Jericho, Vt. She passed away after
a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
She
leaves behind her husband, Joshua; her young sons, Luke and Zachary;
her parents, Jim and Ginger Calder; her father-in-law, Peter; her
siblings, Daniel and Amanda; her grandmother, Peg Randall; a number
of cousins, aunts and uncles; and her best friend, Alice Hasen.
Rebecca will forever be known for her strong will, unwavering faith,
perseverance, radiant smile, dedication to family and true love for
life.
Rebecca
was born on January 30, 1990, during a winter blizzard. True to her
biblical name, she grew to become a peacemaker, bringing her family
closer together. She embraced her family’s love of gardening and
developed a passion for animals. At the age of five, she held a
calf’s halter for the first time and fell in love with cows. Her
family enrolled her in 4-H at Shelburne Farms, where she trained and
showed Brown Swiss heifers at local fairs. She cherished her days out
at the dairy barn, her friendships with other 4-H members, and the
competition in the ring. She also volunteered and later worked in the
Shelburne Farms’ Children’s Farmyard, where she delighted in
educating visitors about livestock.
Rebecca
and her best friend, Alice, were co-valedictorians of their high
school class. Rebecca received a Green and Gold Scholarship at the
University of Vermont and majored in Animal Science with a
pre-veterinary focus. At UVM she became deeply involved in the
Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM)
program, managing a 34-cow herd with her peers and later serving as a
student herd advisor. She also worked in a research lab, where she
contributed to several dairy science projects.
During
her senior year at UVM, she met Josh, her future husband and
soulmate. He was captivated by her compassion for animals, love of
nature, beautiful smile and commitment to making the world a better
place. The two quickly fell in love and persevered through a
four-year, long-distance relationship when Rebecca started veterinary
school at Cornell University.
At
Cornell Rebecca immersed herself in the food animal curriculum, made
lifelong friends, and earned a reputation for her ambition and can-do
attitude. She was active in the American Association of Bovine
Practitioners, the student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical
Association and the Pet Loss Support Hotline. She participated in
vaccine clinics to give back to the community, while getting more
practice with exams and vaccines. She also worked part-time milking
cows at the vet school dairy barn. During her third year, Rebecca was
inducted into the veterinary honor society Phi Zeta. Her dedication
to gaining diverse experiences led her to riding alongside
veterinarians across the United States and even in Colombia, South
America.
Upon
graduation Rebecca accepted a position as a mixed animal practitioner
in Central Wisconsin. She predominantly cared for cattle but also
treated cats, dogs, sheep, goats and pigs. She was known for
supporting farmers in aligning care for their animals whilst
improving their businesses.
Rebecca
and Josh married shortly after she began her job, returning to
Vermont for a fall wedding at the First Baptist Church in Burlington,
followed by a reception at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond.
Afterward, Josh joined Rebecca in Wisconsin, where they spent several
years kayaking, hiking, skiing and enjoying the outdoors. Their first
son, Luke, was born in December 2019. In 2021, longing to be closer
to family, they moved back to Vermont, where their second son,
Zachary, was born.
That
same year Rebecca began work as a veterinarian at Malletts Bay
Veterinary Hospital in Colchester, Vt. She appreciated the balance
this new position provided her between her professional and family
life, and she loved caring for people’s pets while demonstrating
compassion for their owners. She also loved working with the
incredible team of veterinarians and support staff at the clinic.
Rebecca
found immense joy in spending time with Josh and their sons.
Together, the family went camping, explored nature and frequently
visited Rebecca’s favorite place, Shelburne Farms. She delighted in
teaching her boys about the world, gardening and watching them grow.
In
June 2022 Rebecca’s life took a devastating turn when she suffered
from a seizure at work and was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. After
a series of surgeries and medical treatments, her disease became
stable, and the cancer started to shrink. She and Josh decided to
move forward with building their forever home on a subdivided parcel
next to Josh’s parents’ house in Jericho. They moved into their
new home in September 2023. When she wasn’t at medical
appointments, Rebecca spent her energy planning out an ambitious and
extensive network of gardens and fruit trees. In 2024 she worked with
her family to complete a full gardening season, which brought her
immense joy. Unfortunately, by November, the cancer became
uncontrollable. Rebecca passed away November 27 with her husband and
mother by her side.
Rebecca
passionately loved being a wife and mother. She also inspired her
friends and family to utilize life’s tragedies and challenges as an
opportunity to grow, enjoy life more fully and identify ways to serve
others. We know that she would encourage us to reframe our grief as a
force to nourish our faith and help make the world a better place.
Rebecca’s
celebration of life will mark the beginning of a new chapter for us
all. It will be held on Saturday, January 18, at 10 a.m., at the
First Baptist Church in Burlington, Vt. A reception will immediately
follow at the same location. For those who are interested, the family
will go for a walk/snowshoe at Shelburne Farms to visit the Brown
Swiss cows after the celebration and reception.
In
lieu of flowers, information about donations in her memory to
organizations she cared about will be shared at the celebration and
on social media in January.
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2024.