Keith Lofstrom rememers Helen Glenn Phelps

I am married to Helen's oldest daughter Charlotte Glenn, making Helen my "Mother-In-Law". After decades of exposure to Hollywood slanders against the phrase /Mother-in-law/, men are expected to dislike their wife's mother. And like so many other things, Hollywood got this slander wrong, too.

I loved Helen like my own mother - and Helen was good friends with my mother CathyLofstrom , even though they were separated by a continent. I looked forward to visits from Charlotte's parents and family. When Helen grew too fragile for the long plane flight, we traveled frequently from Oregon to Maryland to visit the family here.

Helen was challenging - not in the sense of difficult, but as a good parent that challenges her children to be their best. I knew I was accepted into the family when I would say something incorrectly and she would challenge me on it. Not to be mean, not because of resentment, but because she wanted to help me learn. Her successful raising of four wonderful children and her lifetime of education and educating others taught her to teach others with patience and respect.

I am proud of my wife Shara (Charlotte), and much of what I love about Shara is due to Helen's example and parenting. I will always be grateful to Helen for the wonderful daughter that she and Charlie let me marry, and for her other children and grandchildren that I am proud to have for friends.

You don't just marry a person, you marry a family. Because of Helen, and the wise and wonderful husband that she married, I have been blessed with the best marriage I could possibly imagine.

Thank you, Helen.

Keith Lofstrom