(Photo credit: Cara Dee Photography)

My uncle was just as much a part of my life as my aunt was. He’d brave freezing cold Lake Huron with me when everyone else sat on the shore. He cheered on my dance recitals and plays just as much as the rest of my family. He’d take my brother and me to county fairs and even hauled a ginormous red stuffed dog home from Florida because my brother won it fair and square and it wouldn’t fit on our 747 ride home.

…There are only a handful of milestone moments that Lonny was not a part of. One of these moments being my wedding. While he wasn’t sitting in the pew with the rest of the DeNeff clan, I carried his pin on my bouquet as my dad walked me down the aisle. My brilliant aunt thought of this ahead of time and surprised me with it on our wedding day. A simple moment I’ll cherish forever.

Today marks six years that he’s been gone. And I am so thankful that the memories I hold closest are of a kind, gentle, and selfless uncle.