Becky : Becky Wasserman & Co.

Becky

Becky's Parents, Louis Rand and Yolanda Dragos
2 months, 5 days old - New York
Thus begin the curls
They grow
New York - ca. 1939
They grow fast and thick
And they grow long (bottom left)
Becky in Central Park ca. 1943 - 6 years old
May 7, 1946 - 9 years old - New York
For several summers, Becky was sent to a farm to escape polio.
Best braids in show
My mom made me do it - New York - 1947, 10 1/2 years old
Becky believed she was 12 years old in this picture and said that at the time she thought she was hideous
13 years old - New York
Late teens - New York
Early 1960s in Philadelphia
Pregnant with Peter or Paul - Philadelphia - 1964 or 1966
With Peter or Paul - Philadelphia - 1964 or 1966
With Peter - Philadelphia - 1965
Blooper - 1965
With Paul - Philadelphia - 1967
Peter with Alain Philippe in Philadelphia ca. 1966-1967. Alain was a French student who convinced the Wassermans to move to Burgundy instead of the south of France.
April 2 1968, one month before the move to France
From 1968 to 1972, the Wassermans lived next to Tonnellerie François Frères in Saint Romain
Saint-Romain - ca. 1968-1972
Saint-Roman - ca. 1968-1972
With Gérard Potel - Paulée de Meursault, early 1970s
Becky never raised her voice. Her quiet disapproval was powerful enough.
At Pamela and Aubert De Villaine's wedding - 1971
Bouilland redo - ca. 1968-1972
The De Villaines, Pamela (left) and Aubert (far right), in Bouilland in 1972. Other regulars included the De Montilles, Seysses, Mugnerets, Hansons, Troisgros brothers...
To her right, Guy Roulot, Jean-Marc's father - Paulée de Meursault, November 19 1973
Becky contemplating independence - USA, summer 1975
Becky's favorite picture of Peter and Paul - at a rodeo in Dillon, MT - Summer 1975

Our deepest gratitude for all the wonderful tributes to Becky. For those who just couldn’t find words, please know that most us at BW&Co are choked up too.

We knew this, but the tributes make it even more obvious: Becky was family to so many more people than her husband, her children and Russell’s, and her amazing team. So we thought that you would enjoy these family pictures. They are from before she started to sell barrels, then wine.

The last picture is of Peter and Paul’s first trip to America, with Becky, in 1975. During this trip she was offered a job as a cook at a lodge in Yellowstone National Park. She was tempted to accept because it had been a while since she had known financial independence and was so desperate for it. She believed her only other option was to become a bilingual receptionist at a hotel in Beaune. Becky has told this story many times but her humility was not feigned. At the time, she was morbidly shy and terribly unsure of herself.

Upon her return to France, she was offered another opportunity by Jean François, of Tonnellerie François Frères. We are sorting through pictures of the second chapter in Becky’s life and will post them soon, with some of the tributes.

Becky, we are so grateful for what you did, which ended up being so much, for so many people. You did this without ever minding the cost or asking for much in return (Oh, how you hated to ask!) even though the beginnings were precarious and the hiccups substantial. You used to say that you only did it because Burgundy was so difficult to sell at first that you felt it needed perks; then it became a habit. But the truth is that your humility, generosity, and so much grace, were your nature.

We love you so much.