|
|
 |
A member of the IEEE family, Jodi Ann Riccardi, IEEE Communications Society, passed away on 29 November after a 10-year battle with cancer. Born in Jersey City, N.J., she was a lifelong resident of Hudson County. Jodi is survived by her husband, Michael; three sons, Nicholas, Michael Jr. and Matthew; a daughter, Melanie; and two grandchildren, Brendon and Nicholas Jr. She was remembered by her colleagues at a Memorial Service held on 3 December. At the service, Carole Swaim had this to say about her friend and colleague: “Anyone who knew Jodi knew that she had to be busy doing something all the time. We brought Jodi on board right after the Christmas holidays, 3 January 2002. If I remember rightly, we had a conference coming up, and our Meetings department needed help. “She worked the week. The next week, she showed up for work. The following week, she showed up for work. Once she got her foot in the door, she never stopped coming to work! Every once in awhile I would tease her: “You know my original plan was to hire you for a couple of days – NOT a couple of YEARS! Jodi would just laugh and say, ‘I LOVE my job.’ She had claimed it! She owned it! “And, Jodi was good at what she did -- receptionist and facility assistant to Bruce, our finance and administration manager, for the entire floor, which has at least 50 people (IEEE has two groups on our floor – the Communications Society and Spectrum). She kept tabs on everybody, talked to everybody, answered the phones. She took care of all the mail and all the deliveries. She knew all the vendors. She kept the store rooms and kitchen areas ship-shape. She helped various departments with special projects. She did a LOT. “Jodi was a great nagger. ‘Have you eaten breakfast yet?’ ‘Is that your third cup of coffee?’ ‘It’s 4 o’clock. Have you had lunch?’ ‘Carole, I need more work, pleeease.’ She raised nagging to an art form in the office. And, she observed everything. Nothing escaped her. She cared. “When the cancer returned, she didn’t feel good much of the time and had trouble walking. She worked as she could, but it became harder. Eventually she had to stop and go on disability, though she always talked about coming back and asked that we please keep her desk neat. Ultimately, Jodi went into hospice care where I visited her. “I was in a finance meeting in San Francisco when I received the news of her passing. My reaction, like that of most who knew her, was mixed: anger at what cancer does to the body; sadness over the loss. But, then, I was able to focus on Jodi - just Jodi – and I thought: She’s done it, she let go. There is no more pain, suffering, crying – it is over. “The following day, our Board of Governors met. Curtis Siller, who was president when Jodi was working, paid tribute to her before all the officers who run the Society. ‘Jodi was not an engineer. She did not have a college degree. But, she was totally dedicated. A completely wholesome, hard-working individual and loved by ComSoc and the IEEE.’” Jack Howell, Executive Director, IEEE Communications Society, shared the following thoughts: “Basketball coach John Wooten once said, ‘No day can be called perfect until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.’ Jodi had a lot of perfect days! Her dedication, determination and courage brought out the best in all of us. “Every day she came to work she would stop by my office to say ‘Good morning, anything special you need today?’ and report on her projects. She would report on her son Matthew’s progress at Paris Island, the USMC boot camp, knowing that my son had gone through the same process. She continued our meetings on a weekly basis after she was no longer able to come to work, calling me every Monday. These calls became a reminder that every day is special. She helped me set my priorities – and will continue to do so. “I feel that Jodi would most likely not have overcome the initial prognosis of stage 4 cancer if she had not been given the opportunity to own a job with IEEE ComSoc, thanks to Carol Swaim. “At the memorial service, Jodi’s son, Matthew, in his Marine Corps dress blues struck me as an excellent example of Jodi’s legacy. It occurred to me that Jodi herself had definitely passed on some of her Marine Corps dedication and determination to her son.” Jodi will be missed by all of her friends and colleagues at the IEEE. |
|
Jodi Riccardi with Curtis Siller, IEEE Communications Society president 2004-2005, in a photo taken in 2005. |
