I must admit I was totally caught off guard.
Tom Wooden came to me someplace in front of the RST tent and said they wanted him to say a little blurb about my service as editor and he asked me a couple of questions about myself and Kathy. I was more interested in making sure he would allow me enough time to introduce the new editors Mike and Susan Koneski and Tom said that would not be a problem.
When Tom unveiled the Invincible Life Member "certificate" I was completely blown away... and then in the next breath he asked Kathy to join us up front and unveiled that fantastic drawing/painting of "Gracie" we both got a little choked up.
I will say that in the 26 years of PGCA existence only 8 Invincible Life Memberships had been awarded and I find myself, my name, among very heady company. In many ways I feel 'unworthy' but I can't argue with the wonderful folks who came to that decision- all I can do is thank them for such an honor.
The picture of Gracie appears to have been done as a charcoal over watercolor but I don't know for certain. Maybe Mike Franzen can ask his extremely talented daughter, Madeline, how she accomplished such a lifelike expression - what medium she used to capture Gracie's amazing personality...
.