Elizabeth's Day of the Dead altar at the
Fort Bragg City Hall - 2012

In Loving Memory of Elizabeth Babcock

Elizabeth Babcock of Mendocino died Thursday, May 10, 2012, after battling A.L.S. She was born in 1949 in Fort Worth, Texas to Bradford and Phyllis Debusk. She was 63 years old. Elizabeth was a graduate of the University of Texas, with a degree in psychology.

She went to work for Delta Airlines on a lark and ended up with a 32-year career. Over the years she visited nearly every place she had any interest in seeing. She spoke French and when Delta started flying overseas, she learned German to qualify as a trip coordinator.

During her last years at the airline, she attended Wesleyan School of Law in Fort Worth, and graduated with honors in 2002. For a brief time, she worked as a prosecutor for the State of Texas. She then joined the fight against contractors tearing down neighborhoods to build “McMansions,” and helped draft a neighborhood stabilization program for the city of Dallas.

Elizabeth loved conversation, music, her cats, flowers, cooking, art, and most of all books and learning. While she was researching her disease, she learned of cannabis juicing and came to Mendocino to try it. The relief of some of her symptoms were undeniable and the decision was made to stay. The cannabis did not change the course of the disease. It, along with the view from her windows, the sweet air, ocean sounds, and the kindness of everyone she met, did make this the perfect place to stop her journey.

She is survived by her husband Mark.