Tribute to Lee Huebel

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

It's natural to have some "Meet the Parents" type fears of your inlaws when you're in the dating phase (in said movie, the father-in-law repeatedly says to the son-in-law, "I'm watching you!"). It can be especially complicated if the person you fall in love with has parents which are hard to get along with. I always wanted to meet someone that had parents with similar values as my own, but after hearing stories from my friends I started to think that might be a far fetched idea. However, in my case, I think that I fell even harder for Ross after meeting his parents.

The first time I met the Huebel's, it was actually at the lakehouse. Ross and I were walking up the stairs and Ross paused with his hand on the doorknob and said, "Quick, how do you pronounce my last name?" I respond, "Hue-bel right?" and he says, "No, it's Hee-bel. That's important to my Mom" Then, opened the door and it was go time..."Hi Mr and Mrs Huebel, nice to meet you!"

From the moment I met them, they made me feel special and like a part of the family. They raised a son whom I love and admire, and it's no coincidence why he is the person he is today. Over the years, I have felt truly blessed to have second parents, not just "in-laws", to make memories with.

Dad Huebel passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, surrounded by loved ones. He was an amazing individual and his presence will be sorely missed in so many ways.

I want to share some of the special memories of Lee that will always be with me:

*The ultimateTexans fan. Do not call after a loss.
*Dad H hated being cold and would always carry a sweater, which would often get left behind
*Thermostat wars were a common occurance
*Dental floss: anytime, anyplace
*I'm fairly certain that Chef Lee Huebel could have had his own cooking show. Maybe that way there would be a team of people to clean up the mess of dirty dishes afterwards?!
*Like my Grampie, Lee had a passion for woodworking and made some beautiful pieces which include our kitchen dining table and our coffee table.
*Sweet tooth, specifically pies. No desserts were safe between Dad H and I.
*Love of fine dining and trying new restaurants
*Man of great faith
*Devotion to his family