Becca Pappas, 34, passed peacefully, surrounded by family and friends at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City after suffering an aneurysm while riding her bicycle home from work in Bozeman MT.

Becca was born in Winston-Salem, NC. At age 11, Becca and her family moved to Steamboat Spring, CO where she developed a deep passion for snowboarding, skiing, hiking, biking, and all things outdoors.

Becca also loved to learn. With her insatiable thirst for knowledge, coupled with her love of the outdoors, at age 30 Becca moved to Bozeman, Montana to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Earth Science at Montana State University. Becca graduated this past May with Highest Honors. She was an outstanding student, and won a scholarship which took her to Bristol, England where she worked with environmental scientist studying the Greenland Icecap.  After graduating, Rebecca continued her studies, with hopes to gain her doctorate in the years to come.

Rebecca’s course of life was never altered by others’ thoughts and opinions. She had a deep love for life and always stayed true to who she was. Rebecca had infinite kindness and her beauty will always be remembered by her family and friends.

She is survived by her loving parents, Victor and Susan Pappas, grandfather Charles Pappas, sister, Alexandra Pappas, brother Charles Pappas and his wife Sara, life partner Christopher Mellott and beloved Labrador retriever, Cash.

A funeral was held November 8th in North Carolina.

A celebration of Becca’s life will be held in Steamboat Springs in the near future.