Ties That Bind—Retirement Finds Rabson in Contact with ASPB Colleagues

Since having retired from the Department of Energy a number of years ago, ASPB member Bob Rabson has kept in touch with a number of old friends associated with plant biology. Bob and his wife Eileen regularly visit their children and grandchildren in different places around the country. When they make such visits, they always take time to see old friends.

During Christmas weekend of 2003, they not only saw their daughter and her family but while in Boston also visited their old friend Marty Gibbs and his wife Karen. Marty served as editor-in-chief of Plant Physiology from 1963 to 1992. Bob reports that Marty remains quite vigorous and as knowledgeable as ever.

Bob and Eileen frequently visit Madison, Wisconsin, to see their other daughter and her family. While there, they used to visit old friends Folke Skoog and Oliver Nelson. Now that both scientists have passed on, the Rabsons make time to visit their widows.

The Rabson’s son and his family live in Atherton, California, which is only a short distance from the Stanford University campus. When Bob and Eileen visit California, they visit Sharon Long at Stanford and always see Chris Somerville, his wife Shauna, and others at the Carnegie Institution, which is on the Stanford campus.

Once in a while they have visitors who come to Washington, DC, or Rockville, Maryland, for meetings or other reasons. One person they have seen several times is Peter Albersheim of the University of Georgia. Bob said that maintaining connections with old friends is one of his favorite activities now that he is retired. Bob initiated and long administered the Energy Biosciences research program within DOE.