Today I said goodbye to a friend.

She was the matriarch of the family and a force to be feared if you got on her bad side. This afternoon, I heard many stories from her children, all grown with their families, recounting her adventures including surviving a car and plane crash within one month of each other. The genuine laughter around the table as each took a turn, was a relief from the grief and a chance for the younger generation to hear some of the family’s history.

I’ve only known her for a short time, just about 10 years, which isn’t really much considering she was 79 years old. During that time, I can’t even remember her upset or mad with me directly, which is a good thing after hearing some of the stories of her fierce argument abilities and confidence of always being right. I’m sure many of us can relate to that, either of ourselves or another close family member.

I knew her as a caring, generous person that always opted for kindness with my girls, including the ones not born into her family. She maintained an open house where anyone could stop by to talk and you would never walk away hungry. She was an amazing cook and loved to feed her loved ones. I can’t count how many boxes of food staples came our way because “I’m just not going to eat this… You should take it home”. In a way, it was her love language and a way of taking care of my family. Honestly, some of the sugar-free cookies she sent my way, never made inside the house, they were destroyed on the car ride home.

She had a kind heart, an adventurous spirit and a passionate love for deep-sea fishing. She was honest, hard-working and quick to let you know her thoughts and quicker to point out if you were wrong. Anyone who knows her will always have a good story to tell and will miss her boisterous laughter. She will be remembered as that one person you can always count on to be right beside you. Not in front of you, or pushing from behind... but standing right beside you willing to walk through hell. She was a force of nature, driven by a love of Jesus and proud of her family.

Today, I said goodbye to my friend, and mother in law, Karen. She was called home Sunday, April 5, 2020. I’m positive she is helping Jesus find the best rooms in the house for her family. She was just that way.