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Tirza was truly unique in her ability to guide and help us.  

I miss her, will miss her and feel that the world has lost someone who added so much to our experience of it.  

Some voices do more than carry words.
They carry kindness, encouragement, and hope.
Though the conversation has ended,
the warmth they leave behind never truly fades.

I had the privilege of speaking with Tirza many times about ASCE Collaborate and meeting her at several ASCE events. What I will remember most is her boundless enthusiasm for helping others and the genuine energy she brought to every conversation. It is hard to imagine that I will never again hear that familiar voice on the other end of the line, always ready to connect people, strengthen our community, and make everyone feel welcome.

As Maya Angelou so beautifully said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." That is exactly how I will remember Tirza.

Rest in peace, Tirza. My sincere condolences to your family. I will miss you. 💔

-Radhi Majmudar, ASCE Met Section

Many of you have asked what you can do to support Tirza's family, and especially her beloved daughter Pearl, during this difficult time. We've learned that the family has set up a Go Fund Me for that purpose.

GoFundMe for Tirza Austin

Tirza was a class act, patient, kind, generous, and a delight to work with. This is a huge loss for ASCE and honestly, our nation as a whole. I can't think of anyone with as much direct impact on our branch's operations.  ASCE Upstate sends our prayers and condolences to her loved ones.

I never got to meet Tirza physically, but she somehow found a way to guide me through getting a mentor, joining my local section group, and even connecting me with the right communities. Always sending mail and always available to answer questions asked, I always hoped to one day meet her. 
 

This is really disheartening and sad. Rest easy, Tirza.

Almost all of the content you see on collaborate was screened by Tirza.  Never once did she attempt to change the message of the members, but rather worked tirelessly to amplify our voices.  Tirza made the online community a reality and I won't forget her grand tour of ASCE HQ when I visited.  Tirza introduced me to so many new colleagues across the country.  I take great solace in knowing that this cohort will remember her warmth and leadership.  Communication is so important to developing relationships and I know I will have much more to share and talk about in the years to come as we remember our fearless forum admin.

Tirza was truly one of the very best, and together with the incredible Community Advocates - Topic Moderators team, she made a lasting difference. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our Captain. Her kindness, leadership, and dedication will always be remembered.

Thank you for leading us!

AN

It was Tirza who first found me in the Collaborate forums and invited me to volunteer here, and that invitation led to subsequent connections with so many other wonderful people in the ASCE community.

For the past six years, I had the pleasure of seeing her during our bi-weekly Collaborate volunteer calls. She made every meeting enjoyable, and I was always amazed by how she could remember so many details about previous Collaborate discussions and the people behind them. She was kind, hardworking, incredibly organized, and had a remarkable ability to keep our meetings productive even when we were just rambling about trivial topics.

ASCE has lost someone truly special. I'm grateful to have known Tirza, and my thoughts are with her family, friends, and everyone in the Collaborate community processing this heartbreaking loss. Hopefully we can all strive to embody her best traits in tribute to her.

It was always a pleasure working with Tirza over the years.  Seeing her at ASCE events, working with her on the latest newsletter, getting more immersed into Collaborate, or creating an email announcement to a new subscriber list, Tirza had a warm and calm demeanor that made me feel like nothing was too difficult or impossible.  She had a knack for listening and understanding what I was trying to do and helped guide me through process of the different platforms we use in ASCE.  I'll miss her positive attitude, can-do spirit, and steady resolve, and hope that her family and friends take solace in the lasting impact Tirza made on all those she came in contact with.  May she rest in peace. 

I first met Tirza through ASCE's Mentoring Committee and later had the privilege of collaborating with her at various ASCE conferences and the Younger Member Leadership Symposium. Over the years, I was fortunate to work alongside her and other committee members as we developed mentoring initiatives and supported engaging virtual programs such as the Thursdays @ 3 series, which provides free professional development opportunities for civil engineers.

Tirza was widely respected throughout the ASCE community for her leadership, dedication, and remarkable ability to bring people together. She was always energetic, passionate, and deeply committed to developing the next generation of civil engineers. Her enthusiasm for mentoring, collaboration, and service was infectious, and she inspired many of us to become more involved and give back to the profession.

I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tirza. She will be remembered not only for her professional contributions, but also for the kindness, warmth, and genuine care she showed to others. My heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. May her memory continue to inspire all whose lives she touched.

Tirza was so special to me and the ASCE community. She reached out to me years ago to encourage me to join the Topic Moderators group for ASCE Collaborate. Through that group I have made wonderful connections with others I never would have met otherwise. We got to meet in person for the first time at the MRLC earlier this year, and it felt like hanging out with an old friend. Her warm and welcoming nature made her a joy to be around. She invested so much energy and passion into improving resources for our organization, and she truly sought out and listened to feedback. I will continue to be inspired by her ability to bring people together and strive for continual improvement.
She will be dearly missed.

I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tirza Austin.

Tirza was one of the people within ASCE who most encouraged me to become more deeply involved in the true spirit of the Society: collaboration. Through ASCE Collaborate, she helped us build spaces, shape tools, develop badges, and sustain meaningful conversations around the topics that mattered most to our community.

She always listened carefully to our ideas and suggestions for improving the virtual spaces ASCE made available to us. For Region 10, she was an invaluable support, serving as a bridge so that our voices could be heard and included.

Tirza had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcome, connected, and part of something larger. Her generosity, warmth, and commitment to the ASCE community left a lasting mark on many of us.

I am truly sorry for this loss. Tirza leaves a void that will be very difficult to fill, but also a legacy of connection, service, and collaboration that will continue to inspire us.

My deepest condolences to her daughter Pearl, to her family, and to all her ASCE colleagues and friends.

I am deeply sorry for this heartbreaking loss that has shattered my heart. Tirza was never an ordinary person; she was a source of inspiration, always driven by a passion for advancing the engineering community and encouraging a spirit of teamwork. She was warm, kind, and genuinely compassionate, always giving, always striving toward noble and meaningful goals. She was a living embodiment of everything beautiful in our profession and in humanity. 
Her warm spirit will continue to accompany us in every step, in every corner of service and contribution. We were one team in the Topic Moderators Group, sharing the responsibility of advancing our profession, and she was always a constant source of support, connection, and kindness. It is still difficult to accept that this connection has been severed forever.

I extend my condolences to her family, to the ASCE's staff, and to my colleagues in the Topic Moderators Group and all our ASCE's Community for the loss of such an inspiring leader. Let us remember her words, carry her beautiful spirit forward, and honor her noble role in uplifting our collective work toward the highest engineering standards.


Her absence is painful and profoundly sad. May her soul rest in peace and find eternal serenity.

I am deeply saddened by Tirza’s sudden passing. Tirza supported me from many areas of ASCE and helped make Region 10 a true region of impact. She was careful and responsible in her work, yet always kind, humble, approachable, and ready to collaborate and support. Her brilliant leadership in ASCE Collaborate connected people, opened doors, and strengthened our ASCE Family. I will always remember her with deep gratitude, admiration, and affection. My heartfelt condolences to her daughter Pearl and to her entire family.