Flashback Friday

 

This isn't my best photo ever, but it contains a nice memory. In August of 2012, John was a recent college graduate and his college girlfriend of one year, Troy, came to lunch at our house with her mom and dad. Although we had met Troy and her parents had met John, the parents had never met each other so it was a "meet the parents" kind of afternoon. Her mom and dad had lived for many years in Connecticut but they had recently moved to St. Louis as the result of a job transfer. Little did we know that before the year was out, John and Troy would have moved to St. Louis, and Brad and I would too when his job also took us there. This most happy coincidence gave us the chance to get to know Lloyd and Esther and become good friends with them during our years in St. Louis—and of course in all the years after given that our kids stayed together and ended up getting married six years after this photo was taken. After Lloyd and Esther eventually left St. Louis for a life in retirement overseas, we got to spend more time with them as periodic housemates when they would stay with us on their returns to St. Louis, which was their home base. Brad and I both treasure their friendship and have always been glad they are in our lives as friends and in-laws. And so last night we were both devastated to learn that Lloyd had passed away from COVID-19. Earlier in the fall, he and Esther had come back from Ecuador, where they had most recently been living. They spent a few weeks in Colorado near John and Troy, then they drove to St. Louis, and from there to Connecticut. They got sick on their first day in Connecticut, both with Covid. Esther is still recovering from her symptoms, but Lloyd got it much worse. Our hearts are heavy and it's an understatement to say that Lloyd will be greatly missed.