My Amazing Grandmother

I probably couldn't come up with a hokier title than that, but it really is the truth.

Being the son of the third generation of proffesional working mothers in my family, my grandmother is a huge influence on me, how I view the world, and how I relate to women. The reason I do what I do now for White Ribbon has it's origins in my grandmother, Katheryn (Kay) Place.

She died last week and today, as I blog this, I am sitting in a kitchen in Lee's Summit, Missouri, a few hours after her funeral, thinking back to how proud, strong and fearless she was and how easily and clearly she was able to pass on those values to her entire family.

Quoting from my mother's speach this morning, my grandparents "parented as a unit" both independently working for themselves while still managing to raise a family together. A prime example of an equal, healthy relationship in time and place when that was practically unheard of.

To read more of her accomplisments, you can read her obit here.

She will be missed.