Peg Hackenbruck Memorial No. 2

Peg died a little over a year ago, and her daughter called together her closest friends for a memorial at that time, but today the two daughters held a big blow-out memorial in a rented venue with food and drink, music, a slide show, two audience-participation songs, and many spoken tributes. I’ve written about Peg before—both when she was alive and soon after she died. She was a brilliant and big-hearted psychiatrist who changed many people’s lives for the better, including mine.

Today I heard stories I’d never heard before. In her youth Peg married a man named Tony who realized, after their two daughters were born, that he was gay. Soon after he came out to Peg, she realized that she was gay. So after their divorce, they continued living in one house with their partners and the children. Later on they moved to separate houses, but they stayed dear friends for life. This photo is Tony (on the right) and his partner, whose name I didn't hear. Tony now has mobility difficulties but is able to walk short distances with the help of his walking stick. 

It was a marvelous gathering of people united by their love for Peg. Tony spoke briefly and opened his remarks by saying, "The luckiest day of my life was the day I met Peg."