When we think of Randy, it’s smile-provoking. I don’t know if she had a motto but from our perspective, it seemed it could have been, “Find joy in everyday life.” Her warm smile and enthusiasm were magnetic. She’d excitedly exclaim “Ohhh!!” whenever anyone shared good news. She loved her family and she sure loved to talk about her grandkids! One of our last memorable conversations was her sharing that they had a new great grandbaby – pure joy.

The very first time we met Randy and Bob, in 2016, they were moving in. Being Randy, she invited us in, right then and there. And that started our friendship. We often had the good fortune of seeing them several times a week, usually just chance encounters while walking by their house, or we’d be working in the yard and they’d role up. But, if a couple of weeks went by without seeing each other, Randy would text just to check in and be sure we were OK.

Ever since we met them, we’ve said “we want to be Randy and Bob when we grow up” – they could kick our butts in the fitness department any day of the week! They can ride their bikes UP Classen!! Haha. Randy was a jock, so cool. During the pandemic when gyms were closed, she told us she was missing their spin classes….so she was out running laps at Hexter Elementary instead! She was also a first-class gardener. They transformed their yard into a showpiece and reimagined it after a storm took out their shade tree. It was my honor to award them Old Lake Highlands Yard of the Month a couple years ago. She just loved her personalized garden bucket from her sister, and we’d find her out smiling and weeding. We tended each other’s gardens during vacations, and shared plants with one another. In our yard now, we have a beautiful agave and our “Randy sages,” purple Autumn sages in our front and back yards. She’d just drop something by on the front porch because she thought we might like it. When we’d send out an invitation, she was always one of the first to respond “Murphys are in!”…and then she’d tell us what dish she’d have Bob make. They also hosted our neighbor gang for some pretty neat gatherings. Once, around Halloween, we arrived at their house, and they handed each of us a pumpkin and a carving knife! Another time, they curated a blind wine tasting. So much fun and so, so many good memories of our incredible friend. We were blessed to have her in our life. 

Jake and I were lucky enough to buy a house .4 miles from Randy and Bob on Classen. Our house was in pretty bad shape two years ago and Randy and Bob kindly came to help us paint. Courtesy of Randy, Lyle Lovett was blasting through our house for many days. I appreciated her love of music. 

I work from home in the back room of our house out of a studio and I am unable to see the front window. By some coincidence, often when I would walk into the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee, I’d see Randy walk by. I’d wave or run out to say hi. She always asked me about what I was painting. She was so knowledgeable and helpful. Randy was always there to tell me why my flowers weren’t blooming or help me pick up my gate that blew off the hinges in 12 degree weather. Although I married into the family, I have always looked up to Randy and Bob as my own Aunt and Uncle.

I really miss our serendipitous morning conversations. 

Randy was a wonderful aunt. One more recent memory involves her ability to paint a house. Jessie and I were lucky enough to stumble upon and purchase a house on Classen drive, just down the street from Randy and Bob. She and Bob spent several days helping us paint our bedrooms and bathrooms. Randy spent much of the time "cutting in" while the rest of us performed a lot of the less specialized painting. The nicely painted rooms in this house will always remind me of Randy and this warm memory we shared together. I know that Randy and Bob have also painted the homes of many others in the Neubach family tree. 

My second memory pertains to Randy's ability as a mathematician. To this day, the hardest class I have ever taken was geometry at Jesuit. I spent many Sunday evenings calling Randy, who was in Atlanta at the time, asking for help on my geometry homework. I don't know what I'd have done without her. 

Since her passing, I have missed seeing her walking through our neighborhood. 

I went to Bryan Adams High School with Randy and played football in college with her husband Bob at Tulsa University.

The Tulsa football trips to games and homecomings after graduation provided an opportunity for Randy and I to reconnect which was a blessing for me.

I am grateful for our friendship and truly blessed to have known her.

She was beautiful, smart and kind and people loved her company.

As a Christian I know I will see her again.

God Bless her family and may her memory be eternal

Gary Collett BA Class 1964

Randy was gifted with  many talents. One was painting. She inherited this from our father. Somehow I missed out. Viv and I bought our first house in 1975. Randy and our father were there as soon as we moved in with all  their paint brushes. Wisely, I was pretty much told to get out of the way. 

To Randy- Latex was a four letter word. It had to be oil based or nothing . She could do any thing involved with painting but " cutting in" was her specialty. 

We bought our next house in 1980. Needless to say, Randy was there again.

She helped paint Julie's house, Meghan and Greg's house, Jake andJessie's house and Luke and Kendell's house. For these latter projects , she drug in Bob to help. Not sure that was in the wedding vows.

One last thing- in her spare time, she put on her own roof. She was a brilliant mathematician, a painter and also a roofer.