Tribute to Jane Goodall

1934-2025

There are few people in the world who have penetrated the public consciousness like Jane Goodall has. When she died, it sent a shock wave through the hearts of every person that learned about her brave work. I want to pay tribute to Jane Goodall and all the good she did for the Earth, and what her life encourages us to do.

Jane Goodall first came into the public consciousness in 1963 when National Geographic published a groundbreaking article on her work studying Chimpaneeze’s. Her research on prime apes widened our understanding of our genetic siblings, and brought us closer to understanding our origin more than ever. Jane Goodall would continue working with Chimpaneeze’s for the rest of her life, becoming the official ambassador for chimpanzees all around the world. In her later years, she would go to classrooms all around the world to educate kids on our place in the world and the ways we can protect it.

Creative Writing Instructor and minister of Unitarian Universalist Congregation Fullerton, Robert Blair, delivered a sermon dedicated to Jane Goodall and the Legacy she left behind.

“The woman in her nine decades made so many changes in people's hearts and minds and spirits regarding the animal population, and how we humans have damaged and destroyed much of their living spaces and the environment that they lived in. She is prophetic in the way that she guided a young population mainly, to understand what we have done and how to make things right.”

I wanted to know why she was such a presence in our modern society, and why people loved her so much, and Mr. Blair gave me a goldmine:

“She spoke languages between species, and spoke languages between generations,” Mr. Blair then goes on to talk about the last thing she did in life, which hit close to home. “She died in Pasadena on October 1st, getting ready to plant trees in Altadena because of the fire and getting ready to do her part with younger people, to try and correct what had been done.”

Jane Goodall will always stand in our hearts as a figure of grace, exploration, and valor and a symbol for the good a single person can do. Rest in Peace.