That same year, your dad and I got remarried and moved back into the farmhouse that we had bought together when you were little. Along with getting your dad back, you gained a sister, Candace, and brother, Stephen Patrick. You were very happy that it all turned out so well. But later you told me you were mad at me when your dad and I got back together and remarried because it seemed the time we were divorced was wasted. But still, you forgave me.
Your baby boy arrived the next year and you had your daughter a year later. You and Brandon bought ten acres of farm land that was close to us. Then you went to work for your dad managing his heating and air business in Joplin. You were the office manager for 14 years and ran the office and took care of all of the accounting by yourself. You were a whiz at everything you did and your dad was grateful and happy that you kept everything in order. I was happy to watch the kids every summer or whenever `you needed me to babysit. They were with us a lot when you and Brandon went on vacations. I’m so glad your dad and I bonded with you all. Those ties can never be taken away. You and Brandon traveled a lot and you always wanted to take me on a cruise.
In December, 2012, you followed God’s calling and graduated Nursing School. We were so proud to have an RN in our family! During nursing school when the studies got overwhelming and your confidence wanned, you called me and we would talk about it and I encouraged you to keep going and that God would never let you down. He brought you to your calling and He would see you through. And you got through it!
Nursing School graduate!
When your dad had his debilitating heart attack in 2013, you were right by his side and helped us understand what was happening. You walked us through all the ins and outs of his quad-bypass heart surgery. Then my mom, your Grandma Faye, died in the fall of that same year; you rushed to her side, ministering so gently as she lay in her bed dying. Again, you helped me through that sad time and told me what to expect with her passing.
As the years passed and your kids grew up, Kynsey made you a grandma when her first son was born and then another little baby boy was born a year later. I remember how happy and excited you were! You wanted the grandkids to call you Nie Nie and you saw the boys as much as you could working around your hospital schedule. You always spent as much time as you could with your grandkids! And as Kendal and Kynsey added to the number of grandkids you had, you were so happy and could not wait to see them and play with them. And they loved you dearly.
Your dad and I were very sad when you told us that you were divorcing Brandon. I had hoped that the generational family curse of divorce would not touch you kids, but alas, it was not meant to be. We had to accept your decision and pray that all went well. We never meddled in your lives.
You bought a cute little bungalow in Joplin and worked as an RN on the heart floor at Mercy Joplin. We were so proud of you and your accomplishments.
When your dad died on a cold January morning, I remember talking to you on the phone, crying and asking you to hurry down because I needed you. You gave me hope when it seemed like there was no hope - you reminded me to lean on God and let Him help me through the trying time.
Three years later you came down to my house to tell me that you had met a new man and you and he were dating exclusively and were very happy. I was thrilled to know that you found someone whom you seemed to care about. I was a little concerned when you decided to marry him only a couple of months after you met, but again, I never meddle, so I accepted it.
2nd time around 2019
After you got married, you moved to Nevada and went to work at the hospital there. You sold your house in Joplin and seemed very happy. We discussed my future and you wanted to help me with my health and issues, especially when I got elderly, so I moved to Nevada and rented a house from your husband to be near you. While I did not like living there, when God whispered to me, “She needs you,” I stayed because of you. Indeed, you did need me desperately!
You were career-driven and started nursing school again and achieved your Bachelor in Nursing degree in due time. You were working on your Masters degree in Hospital Administration and you had plans of moving into higher levels in your career. You left the Nevada Hospital and went to work for Cox Barton County Hospital in Lamar. Oh, how happy you were! You loved your job, you thought highly of the hospital and the workers there. And they thought highly of you, Stephanie.
During my stay there in that small town near you (we lived 2 miles apart), my happiness about your new marriage faded. It was soon apparent that yes, indeed you did need me to be there with you.
I remember you telling me that you felt so alone up there, because Nevada was 73 miles from Neosho, and you didn’t really care for living that far north, but you made the best of it. As time went on while I was with you and your husband, I saw and heard many things that truly bothered me. I witnessed his arguing and cussing, ranting and raving; it seemed he was grasping at straws trying to find things to be mad at you over! It was very disturbing to me.
And then Kendal finally got married! You were ecstatically happy for him and you loved your new daughter-in-law. We always enjoyed driving down to see the kids. We got to spend time together and have deep conversations. I knew you were not nearly as happy as you once had been. But you kept it to yourself; perhaps you didn’t want to worry me. I remember everything I saw and heard and I have it all written down -14 pages of your life there.
I lived in distress the 2 years and 10 months while I lived there. But all I could do was pray about it. I prayed day and night and kept a watch out for you. You were a very private person and didn’t divulge a lot about what you were going through in your marriage. I specifically remember you talking to me and asking me what I thought you should do. I thought about it for a moment and I heard your dad's answer in my head, so I advised you on a matter and I do believe that you were putting that plan into motion. Except you ran out of time.
And then, your 46th birthday came round on January 19, 2025. You went with your husband to a plumber’s yearly certification seminar in Columbia and was gone for 3 days. I told you that I’d take you out to lunch soon. You wanted to go to Subway for a sandwich because he never wanted to eat there; so we ate lots of sub sandwiches together while I was there.
I remember you coming through my door a week before you died. You were beautiful - you had just had hair extensions put in and your hair was curled and gorgeous. I told you how pretty you were and your smile lit up the living room. I can envision you sitting on the sofa talking about what was going on, telling me about your mother-in-law’s health dilemma, (your husband sat in the car while you came in to see me and you explained that he was talking to his sister about their mother) and we made plans to go to Subway soon for your birthday lunch! You were sad because your dad’s death anniversary was coming up. Each year it has always been an extremely sad occasion and something that we mourn every year.
And after a while we hugged goodbye, said our “I love yous” and you were gone. That was the last time I’d ever see you again. You were 3 months away from getting your Masters degree. You had plans for your future and you were planning to go see Kendal and Kynsey and your grandbabies in the next week or so. But you died on Saturday night, February 1, but of course the coroner pronounced you Sunday morning, February 2 when the authorities found you.
That Sunday morning, February 2, 2025, I went to church as usual and I texted you. I didn’t hear from you but that wasn’t unusual because sometimes you were busy doing homework. When I got home from church at noon your husband texted me asking about what time I would be home from church, I told him I was already home, but he didn’t answer back.
That was a red flag because I thought you two were probably arguing again. Dread set in, and I texted you asking how you were. No answer. I sat there for a few minutes praying and I clearly knew God wanted me to go to your house and see you. I grew angry this time and I planned to talk to you both about what was going on. I was going to tell you about we have a short time to live and we should live it as happy as we can and to stop the fighting
I arrived at your house, Stephanie, about 12:30 and your car was not there, neither was your husband’s. So I texted you both that I was waiting for you and needed to talk to you. Dread grew into fear. Still I waited. The day was sunny and not freezing, but cold. I prayed. And finally, a silver car drove up behind me. It was your husband, his daughter and his son. I thought, “Something’s going on and he’s involved his kids in it. I was perturbed and angrier.
When I stepped out of my car to face them, he said, “Stephanie died last night.”
My world collapsed, I did not faint, but I felt myself spinning and churning; the dread had turned into absolute panic and terror. That was not true, Stephanie, you were not dead, you were hiding and I would find you and help you!
Alas, it was true. I insisted on seeing you, I could not accept that you were dead! When I saw you, my beautiful baby girl, in the funeral home, my heart shattered like the ice in the creek where your car landed. My heart had broken with the other deaths I had endured, especially that of your dad, but now it felt as though I had no heart, no breath, no life. But you were laying there like a beautiful Sleeping Beauty! In death you were still beautiful and I thank God that there were no visible wounds from the wreck.
My Sweetheart, it has been a year since that day. I relive it and go over the story your husband gave us and I contemplate all the questions that remain unanswered. It haunts me! We want closure, but we will never get it. In the whirlwind of the 3 days - Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday - Kynsey did order an autopsy and that stopped your husband’s plan to cremate you immediately. Thank God that Kynsey demanded the autopsy because even though your husband got extremely angry about it, the autopsy answered a couple of questions surrounding the mystery of your car wreck. Yet it created more questions and concern that we did not get the truth of what happened Saturday night and why you ended up upside down in your vehicle in a creek bed.
Three people know what happened February 1 & 2, 2025: You, your husband, and God. And in the end someday God will judge and maybe justice will be served. I honestly hope that there was no foul play involved in your car wreck. But the many questions we all have serve to fuel the fire of dirty deeds. If we could only see your phone, that would help answer some questions. But, we get nothing from him; he has swiftly cut us out of his life. He never liked either one of the kids and you knew that. You tried to change his mind about Kendal and Kynsey, but he would not budge on that issue. It was his loss!
As soon as you died, I knew I had to move out of his house....and I wanted to go home to Neosho. So in the turmoil of grieving, I started packing up things preparing for a move when the weather got warmer. My family did not want me up there at all...they begged me to move out sooner and just come down here to stay with someone until the movers could get the job done, Stephanie. But I stayed until the bitter end. It was for the best. 
