The Bar Harbor woman killed when a pickup truck struck her in a restaurant parking lot earlier this week was described Thursday as a meticulous researcher who worked at Jackson Laboratory for nearly 40 years.
Retired lab manager Connie Birkenmeier was about to meet two nationally known researchers at the Chart Room restaurant on Tuesday when the crash occurred, said Carol Bult, a professor at Jackson Lab.
“So much of this is left to chance that it makes it hard to accept,” said Bult, who called the 76-year-old’s death “a needless, tragic” event.
“It’s not like she was sick. There’s no driving reason for this. She’s left us too soon and it’s a tragedy for everybody.”
Justin A. Shell, 36, of Virginia was charged with manslaughter because he allegedly admitted to being sleep-deprived while driving the pickup. He posted $5,000 bail and is due in court on Oct. 12, officials said.
A molecular researcher with a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Birkenmeier was described by friends as an intellectual omnivore who was also poised and modest. After retiring, she continued to volunteer as a researcher at Jackson until the day she died.
Birkenmeier’s work included investigating blood cells for early signs of a variety of cancers, said Chuck Hewett, Jackson Laboratory’s executive vice president.
Fellow retired Lab Manager Babette Gwynn got a demonstration of Birkenmeier’s work ethic in 1985 when she saw her sketch of the intricate lattices of a single red blood cell molecule that helped bind a cell membrane.
“It was pretty intimidating — years and years of research all on that one piece of paper,” Gwynn said. “Today, you could patch that figure together in no time on a computer, but in those days, it was a lot of graph paper and different colored pencils.”
Birkenmeier’s personal touches were well-known. She favored blue jeans and flannel shirts, was a great cook and an avid fan of movies, hiking, local politics and baking. She welcomed new lab workers and made work seem like home, Bult said.
“Connie invented science casual. Getting dressed up was not something Connie looked forward to,” said Bult, who has Burkenmeier’s favorite flannel shirt hanging over her office chair.
“She had this very gentle, quiet nature about her,” Bult said. “Now that she is gone, I think that everyone is stepping back and realizing what an amazing woman she was to our community.”