
Rebecca (Becky) Rawlins
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Rebecca “Becky” Kathleen Rawlins unexpectedly passed away on January 21, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 38 after a sudden serious illness. Her family is heartbroken and will miss her deeply. She leaves behind her beloved husband Benn Gleason, her mother Beth Rawlins (Kelly), father Joe Rawlins, younger brother Brad Rawlins, and her much-loved dog Fennrir the Ferocious.
Becky was born in El Paso, Texas on October 30, 1986. An October baby, Becky was known for her love of Halloween and all its festive holiday traditions. She delighted in reminding her friends and family that, “I love that people dress up to celebrate my birthday every year!” While growing up, her family moved many times taking them to Kentucky, Germany, Florida, Missouri, Georgia, then back to Texas, fostering Becky’s love of travel and her easy way with people.
Becky was a dedicated athlete with a competitive spirit. She played varsity tennis for four years at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas (Class of 2005). While in high school, Becky also competed in many USTA tournaments, traveling all over the state of Texas. After high school, Becky attended Texas A&M University (“Gig’em Aggies!”) where she played Club Tennis her first two years and helped her team win Nationals. She also participated in running clubs while in College Station and discovered a love for long distance running. While in college she ran numerous half marathons and after college she ran the 2014 Boston Marathon.
After graduating Texas A&M in 2009 with a degree in Biology, Becky began to pursue her dream of becoming an emergency medicine physician. She graduated with a medical degree from the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio in 2016 and completed her residency in emergency medicine at Banner University Medical Center Tucson in 2019. Later that year she joined Tucson Medical Center as an ER physician.
During her residency in Tucson, Becky met her future husband Benn. Together they moved into their dream home with Becky’s first love, her dog Gypsy. They later expanded their adopted canine children to include Fennrir (a.k.a. “Mr. Bubbles”) and Freyja (a.k.a. "Schweetums") building a life of love, adventure, and kindness.
“Becky touched so many lives, and not just because she was a doctor,” says Benn. “She has changed me for the better, challenged me mentally and physically, and continuously made me want to be a better person.”
Her friends will take solace in their fond memories of Becky: hikes in the Tucson mountains, poolside days, board game nights, thoughtful gifts, and rowdy football games. Her love of HGTV and the Food Network helped fuel her passion for fun-filled baking competitions and cook-offs with friends that will forever live on in loved ones’ photos as well as their recipe books.
Becky was known to all as a fun-loving and giving person who focused on improving the lives of those around her. She was a top-notch physician whose impact on her patients cannot be measured. In her pursuit of philanthropy, she contributed to animal shelters and is a founding member of Emergency Medicine Education and Mentorship (EM2), a non-profit organization focused on cultivating resilience, wellness and health among emergency medical professionals. To honor her giving spirit, Becky’s family wishes to direct any donations in her name to the EM2 foundation at em2az.org.
Becky’s final wish was to have her body donated to medical science to help continue educating the next generation of physicians.
A Celebration of Life Memorial in Becky’s honor will be held Saturday, March 1st from 12:30-3 pm at Tohono Chul, 7366 North Paseo del Norte in Tucson, AZ 85704.