I miss my favorite mother-in-law....

I miss my favorite mother-in-law....

I would always tell her she was, then say "though my choice is pretty limited". Eloise in turn would tell me just "what I could do with that", then with a big smile she would give me a hug. I had many such joyful back-and-forth banter routines with Eloise. She never missed a chance to have a laugh, I never missed one to get a hug.

I didn't know my favorite mother-in-law as long as I wish I could have. It's easy to see from the stories her family and friends tell of Eloise as a youth – and of her life – she lived all her life just as I knew her. A spirited "pistol", full of life, joyful, faithful and loving. She and Joe raised two wonderful children, and gave a loving home to countless stray cats and dogs. Like me, everyone who knew her in life feels better for it.

I miss my favorite mother-in-law.  Someday I will hug her again.  Hug her for the love she always showed me.  Hug her for giving me my loving wife.  Hug her for the love she had for animals.  Hug her for the sheer joy she brought by sharing a brief part of her life with me.  Hug her for just being her.

Her favorite son-in-law,

Steve