Editor's Note: Sadly, in the Fall of 2014, we lost Sylvia O. Richardson, one of the leaders in the fields of language disorders, learning disabilities, and dyslexia, as well as a long-time editorial board member for this journal. Sylvia left us after a long and meaningful life and short illness. I asked Barbara Ehren and Gerry Wallach, whom some of you may know as the Cannoli Sisters, to write this tribute to Sylvia... and it does indeed capture her spunky spirit. Sylvia, you will be missed. - -N. W. Nelson

Although we, as speech-language pathologists, are by nature masters of language and communication, words seem insufficient to transmit our thoughts to the readers of Topics in Language Disorders at this most difficult time. How does one begin to express one person's impact not only upon the lives of children and adolescents with language learning disabilities but also upon one's own professional trajectory and evolution as a person? Dr. Sylvia Onesti Richardson passed away Friday evening, October 24, 2014, after a short illness, with her caustic humor and verve to the end. She was a remarkable individual who continued to fight the good fight in learning disabilities every day of her rich and ever-busy 94 years. Some of you may know Sylvia through her work; others may know her through various Committees of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and other professional venues. If you have met Sylvia, you know that the atmosphere changed when she entered a room. Atoms scurried to get out of her way. You listened and listened well because Sylvia did nothing half-heartedly. Whether it was writing an ASHA position paper on the role of the speech-language pathologist in learning disabilities, presenting her views on dyslexia at the Orton Dyslexia Society (now the International Dyslexia Association), or fighting for evidence-based practices, she held your attention.

Dr. Sylvia was first a theatre major, then a speech-language pathologist turned pediatrician, and later an ASHA President and recipient of Honors of the Association. She was also very active in the world of dyslexia, taking on leadership and advocacy roles for children and adolescents with language learning and reading disabilities. She was Professor Emerita at University of South Florida and lived in Tampa for several years, being her incredibly outrageous and passionate self in everything she did. Receiving almost every award possible, we will always remember something she said when receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Emerson College in Boston and we live by her mantra: "My life has been devoted to helping children and adolescents with language disorders and reading disabilities which, by the way, are also language disorders. So the beauty of being given this award is that by honoring me today, you honor them." That was so Sylvia.

Her list of accomplishments is long and has been captured in her obituary (see supplemental digital content, available at http://links.lww.com/TLD/A43), but we wanted to convey a more personal perspective on our mentor, friend, and professional mother. Meeting Sylvia at the first ASHA committee on language learning disabilities in the late seventies (we were child prodigies) changed our lives forever. We were both intimidated by the professional giants who were members of that committee, including Kay Butler, Anthony Bashir, Rhonda Work, and Joel Stark, among others. "Mamma Syl," as we called her, took us under her strong and protective wing and we three became the Italian Triumvirate, advocating for children and adolescents with language learning disabilities for more than 30 years. Sylvia's work in language learning disabilities was one of the earliest and strongest influences of our professional careers. We owe her so much for shaping our careers and forcing us to take the road less traveled. She would often say to us, "Don't be afraid to push the envelope and go against the tide. They may not agree with you, but in the end, it's not about you. It's about our kids with language disorders." Sylvia's voice weaves its way through many of ours and others' professional endeavors. We are so fortunate to have been in her orbit for those formative years when we picked up the torch and carried on in her world of learning and reading disabilities. We can still hear her saying, almost yelling, "It's about LANGUAGE. You're Italian. Make them get it!"

Dr. Sylvia Onesti Richardson was an extraordinary individual, passionate about everything, hysterically funny, brilliant, a bit crazy, beautiful, and giving. We loved her shamelessly, and she became the standard for us in so many ways, professionally and personally. The world is clearly a bit less sparkly without her.

Mamma Syl, you will be missed, but you remain with us. Our children and adolescents with language learning disabilities are so much better than they would have been without you, as are we.

Barbara J. Ehren, EdD, CCC-SLP

Professor, University of Central Florida,

Orlando

Geraldine P. Wallach, PhD, CCC-SLP

Professor, California State University,

Long Beach