A Tribute in Memory of a “Forever Friend” Dr. Phyllis Browne’s life’s mission to champion military families carries on through fundraiser for children’s summer camps Dr. Barbara Waruszynski and Dr. Phyllis Browne met while pursuing graduate studies at Concordia University in Montreal, where they all shared the same supervisor. Though their paths split after graduation, they found themselves reunited 15 years later working as Canadian Armed Forces Defence Scientists. In time, they both would end up working alongside each other at Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis (DGMPRA). They promoted diversity and inclusion in defence and security in Canada through research. Their passion for improving the lives of our women and men in uniform only strengthened their bond. After a fulsome career, Phyllis retired in 2017. Two years later, she sadly lost her battle with cancer. When remembering Phyllis, Barbara describes her as a “forever friend”— a spirited, intelligent and warm friend who always demonstrated her kindness to everyone. Her other colleagues, too, felt Phyllis’s generosity often when she shared treats from her native Barbados or invited them for coffee and a chat. Instrumental in driving positive change within the Canadian Armed Forces, Phyllis’s legacy in the Canadian military community is well documented. She was a champion: for women, for visible minorities, for military families. She wrote scientific research reports, journal articles, presented at conferences, and won awards, including a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Commendation for Duty with Honour: The Profession of Arms in Canada. Most importantly, according to Barbara, “Phyllis will always be remembered as a genuine woman who graced this earth with love, conviction, a deep understanding of humility, and the need to impart greater respect and empathy around the world.” Endeavouring to cherish her dear friend’s legacy, Barbara collected donations for the National Summer Camps Program, a Support Our Troops initiative that ensures hundreds of children from military families experience the joy of summer camp every summer. Thanks to the continued support of her colleagues at DGMPRA, Barbara will collect donations every year. “To venerate Phyllis’s memory is to remember her spirited nature and the goodness that she imparted onto others,” says Barbara. ~ If you are interested in learning more about the fundraiser for the National Summer Camps Program created in Dr. Phyllis Browne’s name, please visit the donation page here.