We're coping, but it's a slow process.
My mom was the first to really fall in love with the OU women's basketball program. She wanted to go to some games with my dad, and he fell in love with the program. It was not only because of the quality of play, but the quality of Sherri and the people in her program. They bought season tickets in 2000 and renewed them again for this season.
He was once an OU football walk-on, during the Bud Wilkinson days, at least for his first two years of school. He met my mom at OU in 1954, not long after she transferred in from OCW (now USAO). They graduated together in 1956 and were married a month later.
Both my brother and I graduated from OU (in 1980 and '83, respectively). My brother's kids are current OU students. We have OU in our DNA, that's for sure.
My dad loves all OU teams, but he developed a true affection to the OU women's team that lasted until he passed on Friday. He and my mom loved to travel to support the team, and even went to two Final Fours. That's no mean feat when you're past the age of 70.
But, to both of my folks, this program has been worth the travel and the 16 years of season tickets. They liked to see OU win, but they liked to see their alma mater represented with class, like it has been with Sherri at the helm.
It won't be the same for my mom to be at any upcoming games without my dad. I'll have to be the travel partner for whatever games we get to see in the regular season. We weren't sure if his health would allow him to see any games in person this season, after about the end of September. He'll have a better seat this season now. But we are still heartbroken that he didn't have one more chance to see a game in Norman with my mom. We will recover, and I know the OU ladies will make him proud, like we are of him.
