Royal Purple

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Alison Wisneski The PB Poorman memorial garden is located on the east side of Winther Hall. The dedication ceremony took place on Thursday and included readings from friends and family members.

"You got issues? I got tissues," Paula P.B. Poorman would often say. This was one of many phrases dubbed "PBisms" by her friends and colleagues. A group gathered outside of Winther Hall on Thursday at 2 p.m. to dedicate a garden to her memory.

The 56-year-old Poorman was killed several months ago after her car was struck by another car traveling at a speed estimated to be about 120 mph. The driver of the other car was a 19-year-old female later found to have an illegal blood alcohol level, and evidence of cocaine use.

Poorman began her tenure at UW-Whitewater in 1996. She taught psychology, and according to an article written by Mike Fitzpatrick on www.quest-online.com, was considered to be an expert on same sex domestic violence, with several papers published on the subject. She was an active member of not just the campus community, but of the UW System. She was one of the founding members of the UW System Inclusivity Initiative for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning People. According to the organization's Web site, they are dedicated to creating a positive atmosphere for LGBTQ students, staff and faculty at all UW campuses.

Erik Trekell is a member of the UW-Madison LGBTQ campus center.

"[Poorman] was not only a well-loved psychology professor at UW-Whitewater, but also a highly-regarded member of the UW System Inclusivity Initiative for LGBTQ people and a community activist," Trekell said in Fitzpatrick's article. "Those of us who have had the privilege of working with P. B. will certainly miss her."

The loss of Poorman is prevalent in the minds of her former students and friends. Jan Nordin works in the Veteran's Affairs office on the UW-Whitewater campus. She said she had been friends with Poorman for a short time, and Poorman had been wonderful to work with.

"The dedications to P.B. were very moving," Nordin said. "They were very hard to read."

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