Music always brings back loving memories of Jody. He loved all types of music: country, pop, rock, show tunes, and opera … Well, definitely not opera. Play something familiar and he’d be singing along. Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.” Michael Feinstein performing Roger’s and Hart’s “Isn’t it Romantic?”

A few days ago, I heard The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” on the radio. This had to be one of Jody’s favorite songs to perform to. He knew all the dance moves — the flat hand gestures to the right and then the left, forming a pyramid with his hands in the air and his head bouncing up and down like a bobblehead doll. When the lyric said, “they spin around and they cross the floor,” he would twirl around in his wheelchair laughing with glee, singing along to the nonsense refrain “whey oh a whey oh.” A tune, a memory, a smile — always there to soothe the soul — at home or even along the Nile.

My Poppa Bear loved music, but especially anything sung by Tony Bennett. When I heard he’d died yesterday, all I could think about was that when the Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga album “Cheek to Cheek” came out, Poppa listened to it all the time. We bought him a CD boombox player and he kept it by his recliner chair on his Florida room sun porch. He played that CD over and over.

“Ever hear of this Lady Gaga?” he’d ask. “What kind of name is that? Well, who cares? She sings great.”

His favorite tune on the CD was “I Won’t Dance.” I can hear him humming it, if I listen hard enough. And I will.

Father’s Day 2023 was the second one without my dad, but the first one for my husband as we welcomed our son in November 2022. Each day that passes reminds me that my dad is no longer with us, however, on Father’s Day I felt a comforting feeling as I know that my dad is extremely proud of my husband. My husband cares for us and protects us just like my father did.

My dad would never want me to sulk and cry on a day that highlights the importance of fathers. He wants me to embrace the moment. I love you Tata!

On a rainy day in May we all got together in a room full of broken hearts, however the room did not feel gloomy, it was filled with loving and compassionate energy. My son, my son-in-law, and my dear friend watched as my daughter took the stage to share a story about our Stasiu — my loving husband and her dear father. He made our lives simple and easy. Jessica stood brave and tall as she shared her sweet memories. We are all very proud of her strength and we know her dad is beaming with pride.

Thank you Martha for this project. It has provided us all with an outlet to start the healing process. We will always be grateful and we will continue to share our loving memories.

You wouldn’t know it from all the rain but it is summer and weekends at the beach. Our grandchildren are growing and now I am making sandcastles and jumping waves with them. It doesn’t seem that long ago that YOU were the one digging in the sand with our children and teaching them how to ride the waves.

The years went really fast but I always thought there would be more time and you would be digging sand castles with the grandchildren. You were a King Island Jones Beach no. 6 parking lot guy but adopted the Jersey shore as your second home because you knew how much the sound of the waves was my peaceful place.