Tribute to Josephine Oldfield (1932-2010) On February 5, 2010, our community lost a good friend. In a career that spanned more than five decades, Jo Oldfield’s life work was dedicated to improving neighborhoods and the quality of people’s lives. Threaded through her professional and volunteer world was her deep commitment to social justice. Jo had a passion for community development, working as the neighborhood improvement project director at ESHAC, and then as the Executive Director of West End Development Corp. Jo’s career also showcased her belief in the power of people and groups working together. She created an innovative intergenerational program for the Girl Scouts and a unique ElderTeen program in the Riverwest neighborhood. Jo truly treasured her last role in the nonprofit sector. She worked tirelessly at The Gathering of Southeastern Wisconsin for the past 12 years, coordinating meals and services for those in need. As a former board member of MAUD and the Nonprofit Center, she never forgot the Center as an annual donor. Just as she nourished her garden, she nourished all of us who worked with her in the sector. It is impossible to count all the people she mentored and coached along the way. As one of Jo’s former co-workers and collaborators said, “I was honored to call her my friend.” A memorial gathering is being planned, probably in June, to benefit The Gathering. Daughters Jane Timmins & Julia Cross have set up a website in her memory at josephine.oldfield.muchloved.com . We echo their wish that Jo's “spirit and vitality will live on in each of us."