I originally joined UKOLN as an ‘Interoperability Focus Officer’, the sort of job title which the recent reform in the University pay structure has more or less rendered extinct. Then I met Rachel – who, I will state for the record, scared the socks off me. It did not take long before she discovered that I had a background in Java programming, and shortly thereafter, I found myself working on her metadata schema registry. It was challenging. But it was also a lot of fun.

The project still contains within it the reminder of its defining conflict, which could perhaps be termed ‘idealists versus pragmatists’. Beyond all else, Rachel was a pragmatist. She was entirely able to accept and recognise the beauty of the elaborate, but never hesitated to point out its weaknesses, and so for me she is fondly remembered as a strong, forceful realist who stood for no nonsense. With Rachel, you knew exactly where you stood, which was wonderful, even though for many it took a bit of getting used to. Oh yes – and those who have added that she was funny are entirely right, too. She was sharply intelligent, vital, impatient, inspiring and a rock of stability.

Very few of the people now working on IEMSR have ever met her, which surprises me every time I think about it. Here on level 5 of Wessex House, surrounded with a project and a national and international community that was so very Rachel, it always seemed as though she had never entirely left UKOLN. I am very lucky to have been able to work with her, even for a little while. My condolences go to her family and friends.

Although this is not a personal blog, this is a personal post, and because it’s within my power to choose whatever closing remarks I prefer, I’d like to finish by proposing a toast to the memory of not one but two outstanding people, who would I believe have shared largely similar opinions about the concept of blogging, who are fondly remembered, inspiring, and more deeply missed than I am sure they would ever believe:
Rachel Heery
Professor Patrick Squire