In a world far too often filled with selfishness and greed, we sometimes have the privilege to meet someone whose purpose in life is giving. For Trisha, it was not enough to care for wilderness. Her sense of love extended to those creatures that we share the earth with. From wolves to bears, and from snakes to prairie dogs, her heart was directed at their safety. She often struggled with why man could be so cruel to innocence. Nowhere was her heart bigger than with the cats, often feral, that she committed herself and many of her paychecks to feeding, spaying and neutering, and above all showing love to. This often involved feedings late at night in questionable neighborhoods, live trapping for spaying and neutering, and many trips to veterinarian offices. She often spoke of a new litter, the beauty of the mom, and the love the cats slowly exhibited, and she was captured by their struggles and their caring. They were for her part of an extended and non-traditional family, part of her inherent gift of caring.
Trisha was one of those gentle spirits. She made our Albuquerque office a special place to work by caring for all of us, keeping things running, and taking care of the office cats and prairie dogs.Rarely was there a weekend that you would not find her working, cleaning and spending time with the office animals that made her lap the center of their universe.
She managed the office and membership relations with dedication and passion. She was the direct conduit to our members on the phone and in person, and in that role she always shined! She was so proud to work for wilderness and wildlife and to be part of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance family. For more than eight years she was a special part of our team.
Sometimes Trisha would speak at our events and it always came from the heart. She represented NM Wild at public hearings for Reintroduction of the River Otter and to oppose trapping on public lands. She supported the Dine (Navajo) people fighting for a clean energy future on their ancestral lands and acted as NM Wild's media spokesperson in opposition to “Desert Rock,” a proposed coal power plant on Navajo lands. One year she gave her entire Christmas bonus to their cause despite her many pressing needs.
Trisha was a Park Guide and Interpretive Specialist with the National Park Service at the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument for several years. Trisha was also an active volunteer prior to joining the NM Wild staff eight years ago.
Trisha was born in Monroe, Louisiana to Elmer Nelson London and Shirley London. She was the oldest of three children. She was preceded by her father and survived by her mother Shirley, her sister Charla Lynne London, and her brother Mark London and his wife Judy. She is also survived by her nieces Amber and Kate, her nephews Austin and Corey, and her aunts Carolyn Flower and Martila Cockerham.
Her mother said that she was different in that from the time she was born she had the instinct to take care of nature and all living creatures. Trisha loved the TV show Gunsmoke and loved to pretend to be the hero played by Matt Dillon. We will always remember Trisha as a real friend, and in many ways a person that truly lived the ideal we all strive for-caring for nature and fighting for wilderness.
Our love goes out to her family and we plan to have a memorial service in her honor in the very near future.
We love you Trisha and most of all miss you...........
