The past two weeks have been pretty tough. For a couple who have only been married a total of seven months, I have to say Jen and I held together pretty damned well. We attended three viewings, one mass and burial, dodged calamitous flooding throughout southeastern Ohio, met up with much of the extended Beck family, and went through a set of brakes and 2,000 miles on the Jeep without one instance of homicide. My wife’s strength throughout the last week has been incredible, between caring for her mother, helping her father make the arrangements, guiding the family through the week, and dealing with the pain of loss herself.

I learned many new things about my mother-in-law from friends, relatives, and family in the past week. While I may have had my differences with her in some places, I learned that she touched the lives of many people with humor, kindness, and love. Go in peace, Mrs. Lockard.