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The Peacekeeper

When Robin Kaplan's friends bickered, she would chime in, "Harmony." She was the peacekeeper. And if they kept fighting she would put her hand to her temple and say, "Oh, my head."

"She had tons of phrases," said Andrea Nardini, a friend of Ms. Kaplan's since they were in sixth grade.

Although by nature a peacemaker, Ms. Kaplan hated to be the center of attention. She did not want to talk about what was going on with her; she wanted to talk about what others were doing. "She made everyone feel welcome," Ms. Nardini said.

Ms. Kaplan, 33, of Westboro, Mass., was a senior equipment specialist at TJX Companies in Framingham, Mass. Her job required her to fly around the country setting up new clothing stores, and on Sept. 11 she was aboard American Airlines Flight 11.

"What you saw is what you got — she didn't put on airs," said Francine Kaplan, her mother, who also works at TJX.
Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on November 21, 2001.

Robin L. Kaplan,

TJX employee, 33

Robin L. Kaplan of Westborough, a senior store equipment specialist for TJX Companies, died Tuesday aboard American Airlines Flight 11 in New York. She was 33.

Ms. Kaplan was born in Brookline and raised in Framingham. She graduated from Framingham North High School in 1986 and graduated from Worcester State College in 1990.

She worked for TJX for eight years and was described as her department's ''go-to'' person. She was headed to California to prepare for the opening of a T.J. Maxx store. She had returned to work this year after recovering from Crohn's disease, a life-threatening illness of the digestive system.

She leaves her parents, Francine (Gotz) and Edward Kaplan, and a brother, Mark A., all of Framingham; her grandparents, David and Lorraine Kaplan of Natick; and three nieces.

A memorial service will be held Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Temple Israel in Natick.

Editorial Obituary published in THE BOSTON GLOBE on 9/14/2001.