Rebecca McNiece, 59, passed away peacefully in her home on June 12, 2020. She was born to Monika Schmidt in Frankfurt, Germany on June 29, 1960. She immigrated to the United States as a toddler. She joined the US Army, learned the Czech language and served at Fort Bragg, North Carolina as a signals intelligence analyst. She was the first female in her unit to graduate from the 82nd Airborne Division Airborne School.  Her battalion commander selected her as color bearer and to set the pace for battalion four mile runs. It was here she met and married her husband Patrick on August 21, 1982.  She served Army Soldiers and Families for twenty seven years.

She is survived by her loving husband of thirty seven years Patrick, her son Patrick Jr. of Seattle, Washington, her mother Monika Capps of Warrenton, North Carolina, her father Stephen Perry of Menlo Park, California and her brother David Perry of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina.

This bright, vivacious and dedicated woman was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

A Graveside Service will be held 9:15 AM, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery.

Should friends desire, in Lieu of flowers, please consider donating to:

www.fisherhouse.org

Becca's Eulogy

17 June 2020

Ladies and gentlemen, family, neighbors, COL Snider and teammates from work, thank you for coming here this morning to celebrate the life of a wonderful woman, with whom I was so lucky to share 37 years of life. I want to give special thanks to Becca's mother Monika and brother David and our son Pat Jr. who came to assist Becca in her final difficult week. I feel so blessed we were all with her as she passed.

Becca was a tough, talented, dedicated and loving woman.

She joined the Army in 1980, went to basic training at Ft McClellan, Defense Language Institute in Monterey and Advanced Individual Training at Goodfellow AFB before being assigned to the Military Intelligence Brigade at Fort Bragg. She trained hard to go to airborne school, running numerous miles a day and she became to first female from her unit to graduate 82d Airborne Division Airborne School. She always loved to tell the story about when she was called out for wearing makeup and nail polish to airborne school induction and forced to jump off the top deck of the bleachers to do pushups. She cracked a rib during the training, but made it through. This was one tough lady.

Becca was such a smart woman. I definitely married up. She knew German from her family, learned French in high school, Hebrew from synagogue, and Czech in the Army. She taught herself Slovenian and Croatian before visiting family friends there. She could speak and understand seven languages. This was one talented lady.

Becca dedicated so much time and effort to taking care of Army Soldiers and Families. Whether it was making 200 cup cakes for a bake sale or comforting the spouse of a cook who was murdered on the job, she knew how to support and comfort people in need.  While I was XO of a battalion with a female commander whose husband did not want to be the "Army Wife," she served as the First Lady for two years.  She exercised superb indirect leadership in establishing family support groups in our companies while I commanded the 101st Airborne Division MI battalion.This was one dedicated lady.

Becca expressed her love in numerous ways.  She raised our son while I focused on my career, unfortunately too much and until too late.  She helped my mother so much in her last years. She supported my father after a stroke and her mother after a heart bypass. She always supported me no matter what I was going through. This was a loving woman.

This was one special woman. One who will leave a significant gap in my life that will never be replaced. I will always remember and appreciate her special contributions to our family and our nation. Thank you so much for attending today.

Eulogy written by her husband, Patrick McNiece