Rebecca Randall Beneš

January 30th, 1990- November 27th, 2024

It is with great sadness and disbelief that we share the recent passing of our dear wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Rebecca Randall Beneš, age 34, of Jericho, VT. She passed away after a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. She leaves behind her husband, Joshua; her young sons, Luke and Zachary; her parents, Jim and Ginger Calder; her father-in-law, Peter; her siblings, Daniel and Amanda; her grandmother, Peg Randall; a number of cousins, aunts, and uncles; and her best friend, Alice Hasen. Rebecca will forever be known for her strong will, unwavering faith, perseverance, radiant smile, dedication to family, and true love for life.

Rebecca was born on January 30th, 1990, during a winter blizzard. True to her biblical name, she grew to become a peacemaker, bringing her family closer together. She embraced her family's love of gardening and developed a passion for animals. At the age of five, she held a calf's halter for the first time and fell in love with cows. Her family enrolled her in 4-H at Shelburne Farms, where she trained and showed Brown Swiss heifers at local fairs. She cherished her days out at the dairy barn, her friendships with other 4-H members, and the competition in the ring. She also volunteered and later worked in the Shelburne Farms' Children's Farmyard, where she delighted in educating visitors about livestock.

Rebecca and her best friend, Alice, were co-valedictorians of their high school class. Rebecca received a Green and Gold Scholarship at the University of Vermont and majored in Animal Science with a pre-veterinary focus. At UVM, she became deeply involved in the Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management (CREAM) program, managing a 34-cow herd with her peers and later serving as a student herd advisor. She also worked in a research lab, contributing to several dairy science projects.

During her senior year at UVM, she met Josh, her future husband and soulmate. He was captivated by her compassion for animals, love of nature, beautiful smile, and commitment to making the world a better place. The two quickly fell in love and persevered through a four-year, long-distance relationship when Rebecca started veterinary school at Cornell University.

At Cornell, Rebecca immersed herself in the food animal curriculum, made lifelong friends, and earned a reputation for her ambition and "can-do" attitude. She was active in the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, the Student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Pet Loss Support Hotline. She participated in vaccine clinics to give back to the community while getting more practice with exams and vaccines. She also worked part-time milking cows at the vet school dairy barn. During her third year, Rebecca was inducted into the veterinary honor society Phi Zeta. Her dedication to gaining diverse experiences led her to riding alongside veterinarians across the U.S. and even in Colombia, South America.

Upon graduation, Rebecca accepted a position as a mixed animal practitioner in Central Wisconsin. She predominantly cared for cattle, but also treated cats, dogs, sheep, goats, and pigs. She was known for supporting farmers in aligning care for their animals whilst improving their businesses.

Rebecca and Josh married shortly after she began her job, returning to Vermont for a fall wedding at the First Baptist Church in Burlington, followed by a reception at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond. Afterward, Josh joined Rebecca in Wisconsin, where they spent several years kayaking, hiking, skiing, and enjoying the outdoors. Their first son, Luke, was born in December 2019. In 2021, longing to be closer to family, they moved back to Vermont, where their second son, Zachary, was born.

That same year, Rebecca began work as a veterinarian at Malletts Bay Veterinary Hospital in Colchester, Vermont. She appreciated the balance this new position provided her between her professional and family life, and she loved caring for people's pets while demonstrating compassion for their owners. She also loved working with the incredible team of veterinarians and support staff at the clinic.

Rebecca found immense joy in spending time with Josh and their sons. Together, the family went camping, explored nature, and frequently visited Rebecca's favorite place, Shelburne Farms. She delighted in teaching her boys about the world, gardening, and watching them grow.

In June 2022, Rebecca's life took a devastating turn when she suffered a seizure at work and was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma. After a series of surgeries and medical treatments, her disease became stable, and the cancer started to shrink. She and Josh decided to move forward with building their forever home on a subdivided parcel next to Josh's parents' house in Jericho. Together, they moved into their new home in September 2023. When she wasn't at medical appointments, Rebecca spent her energy planning out an ambitious and extensive network of gardens and fruit trees. In 2024, she worked with her family to complete a full gardening season, which brought her immense joy. Unfortunately, by November, the cancer became uncontrollable. Rebecca passed away November 27th with her husband and mother by her side.

Rebecca passionately loved being a wife and mother. She also inspired her friends and family to utilize life's tragedies and challenges as an opportunity to grow, enjoy life more fully, and identify ways to serve others. We know that she would encourage us to reframe our grief as a force to nourish our faith and help make the world a better place. Rebecca's celebration of life will mark the beginning of a new chapter for us all. It will be held on Saturday, January 18th at 10:00AM at the First Baptist Church in Burlington, Vermont. A reception will immediately follow at the same location. For those who are interested, the family will go for a walk/snowshoe at Shelburne Farms to visit the Brown Swiss cows after the celebration and reception. In lieu of flowers, information about donations in her memory to organizations she cared about will be shared at the celebration and on social media in January.