Paula Underwood passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2000 in Marin County, California. She was a good friend of Pegasus Communications. She was always warm, feisty, and inspiring. Through her contributions to our conference and newsletter, she brought the Native American wisdom of holistic systems thinking to the attention of many. She will be sorely missed.

There will be a memorial gathering for Paula on Sunday, January 14, in San Gabriel, CA.  For details contact Paula's son, Randy Spencer, at israndy@home.net.

If anyone wishes to make a gift in Paula's honor, her family is requesting donations to The LearningWay Center, PO Box 216, San Anselmo, CA 94979.  It is a non-profit dedicted to sharing the ancient learning traditions with "all Earth's children with listening ears." Inquiries about donations or other matters can be sent to Prinny (Virginia) Anderson by email (vranderson@aol.com) or phone (781-641-4163).

Paula Underwood, M.A. was an author, speaker, trainer and consultant in education, cross-cultural understanding and organizational methodologies. She was the founder and Executive Director of The LearningWay® Center (TLC), through which she offered retreats to people in education, business and health services. Paula first wrote three learning stories, Who Speaks for Wolf, Winter White, Summer Gold, and Many Circles, Many Paths. Who Speaks for Wolf received the Thomas Jefferson Cup Award for quality writing for young people, has since been declared an Environmental Classic, and has been called "The best book I know of on Systems Thinking!" The educational program based on her work has been declared "Exemplary" by the U.S. Department of Education, and the book has been translated into Spanish and Italian.

Paula's major written work came from the inherited responsibility for a consensual 10,000-year Oral History of her People which came to her from her grandfather's grandmother who committed it to memory in the early 1800s and meticulously handed it down through five generations of her family. In 1993, Paula published this record of a culture dedicated to learning as The Walking People: A Native American Oral History. The book has subsequently been translated into Japanese and is immensely successful among Japanese readers.

Throughout her life, Paula served her community. She had worked on Capitol Hill and with the International Monetary Fund. She volunteered with The League of Women Voters and served on the boards of organizations oriented toward learning and the environment. Paula leaves two children, two grandchildren, and an enormous circle of friends, each of whom has been touched by Paula's generosity and whole-heartedness.

And learning. . is so valuable. . that it is therefore sacred.

A Life filled with Learning is the greatest gift of all.
A Life so lived is celebrated . .

There are songs to be sung that honor
the beauty of such a Life,
reminding us all of our purpose . . and our potential.

—The Walking People