Caitlin and I became friends within days of starting college at Oberlin and stayed connected ever since, even though it's been 34 years since we lived in the same town. It's hard to encapsulate all those years of friendship in a few words. Being such close friends in such a formative time, I became who I am together with her and she will always be a part of me. I'll miss her vibrancy, passion, creativity, analytical skills. Back when Jonathan and I were planning our wedding, Caitlin offered to make our wedding cake. When I took her up on the offer and she asked how we wanted the cake decorated, I told her to decorate it however she wanted. She joked, "How would you feel about a purple octopus?" I loved the idea. Results are pictured below.

Caitlin made our wedding cake - complete with purple octopus

Caitlin, Amy and Miyoung at Amy and Jonathan's wedding

Caitlin, Amy, our moms and my grandmother at Oberlin graduation

Oberlin graduation - Caitlin and Amy in front of our house at 181 West College

Caitlin Cross-Barnet was one of the first people I met at the CMS Innovation Center and certainly functioned as its heart for me many times. She reminded us, across all of our functions, when it was time to get passionate, encouraged us to be curious forever-learners, and brought an inherent sense of humanity to the administrative tasks we need to get through to get to the core of issues. She was a fierce advocate for her stance while also leading with kindness.

Caitlin made every single person feel special and that she cared about YOU – the real you - and I am particularly struck by the sheer number of people who can say "Caitlin was my mentor!". When I look back at our conversations, I see that she was generous in her admiration of others, holding them up and asking others to celebrate their strengths. She connected us to each other when we had shared problems. She was also the first person to say "how can I help you?". 

Caitlin was my mentor. Her kind and fierce spirit continues on in the people who were lucky enough to intersect with her in our collective slice of life.

My condolences to her family and friends who carry the heavy weight of this grief and who nourished her spirit so that she could be the person she was for me and my coworkers. Sending you all a hug.

Caitlin will forever be remembered as a great friend and neighbor to us, someone we met while watching our kids at a local playground and realizing how much we had in common from the very beginning.  We spent many days together with Caitlin, Mike, and their 3 great children, going to Orioles games, playing ping pong, playing complex board games (Wingspan being Caitlin's absolute favorite, at which she was wicked good!), visiting with them in Chincoteague, or just hanging out at their house in Tuscany-Canterbury, in Reservoir Hill, or at our pads in Roland Park and more recently Mt. Vernon.  Her death is a tragedy almost too much to bear, but does not diminish the joy, warmth, love, kindness, and graciousness she brought into this world and shared so freely with those around her.  As we say in our religious tradition, may her memory be for a blessing, and may Mike, Emily, Josh, and Story be comforted among the mourners in Zion.  

I met Caitlin in January 2022 when I started working at CMMI. I immediately bonded with her and would call her my post-doc. I learned so much about work, research, and life from her. She became a dear friend, a big sister, and a sounding board. She had this innate capacity to make you feel heard which in turn meant you felt accepted and welcomed. She could make me laugh like no one else in my life. She was a giver too, sharing her art work from jewelry, knitted hats, and photography. She opened her home to me when I needed a safe, welcoming place to be restored. She introduced me to her wonderful family and to her animals, some of which she and her family were fostering or failing to foster and would ultimately give the best gift of becoming part of the family. I wish I could tell her a thousand times more how much I love her, respect her, and thankful our paths crossed. Rest in peace my friend, your soul and spirit will continue to impact this world for the better.