Rosenfeld, 54, Memorialized As Best Friend

Friends described Rosenfeld as a true people person. She was optimistic and worked hard to maintain her relationships with friends and family.

"My younger sister said she was her best friend, and she was my best friend, too," said Deborah Kohls, Rosenfeld's sister. "She was everyone's best friend."

Kohls said Rosenfeld, who was the oldest of five siblings, did an exceptional job in her role as the big sister. A few days before Rosenfeld died, Kohls, who is the second oldest, told Rosenfeld she wasn't ready to be the big sister in the family.

"I told her, 'I really can't do this,'" Kohls said. "She really maintained the family."

Rosenfeld began teaching sociology at UNC in 1981, and in 2000 she became the department's chairwoman. This year, she was named a William R. Kenan Distinguished Professor.

Many of her colleagues said she was generous and one of the kindest people they knew. Sociology Professor Francois Nielsen, who lived with Rosenfeld for 11 years, said Rosenfeld made an effort to stay in touch with everyone she knew.

"She had a special talent to make friends and to cultivate and maintain long-term friendships," he said. "It's one characteristic about her that is very distinct."

Sociology Professor Howard Aldrich said Rosenfeld always was a positive person in her work.

"Rachel worked with people to help them improve," he said. "She really had our best interests at heart."

Women's issues, particularly the social implications of women's careers, were top research interests for Rosenfeld. Her recent work included studies in the women's movement in the United States, as well as work histories of women and work-family policies in advanced industrialized countries.

During her career, Rosenfeld published two books: "Work, Farm, and Family in the United States" in 1985 and "Reconstructing the Academy" in 1988.

Rosenfeld also received many awards for her work in sociology, including the Sociologists for Women in Society Award for Outstanding Mentoring in 1992 and the first UNC Sociology Department Graduate Student Association Award for Excellence in Mentoring in 1998.

In 1995, Rosenfeld was the first recipient of the Katherine Jocher-Belle Boone Beard Award of the Southern Sociological Society. The award recognizes distinguished scholarly contributions to the understanding of gender in society.

When she wasn't working, Rosenfeld enjoyed spending her free time with her friends and family. Aldrich said she was concerned with the well-being of her friends, family and colleagues and always was understanding.

"I don't know how we're going to replace her," he said. "I don't think we can."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.