Terrie reading Star Wars to Chuck, c. 1983–84

Terrie on a couch in a red sweater, laughing. Small Chuck next to her, a Star Wars book open between them with R2-D2 and C-3PO on the cover, listening.

This is the literal image of the line Chuck opens his memorial speech for her with:

“What I thank her for the most is making such a big effort to read to me when I was very little and to encourage my love of books. Something that came naturally for a former children’s librarian.”

The librarian half of that sentence has its own photograph too — Terrie at the library information desk in her work clothes, smiling at the camera across a reference-book wall. This is the home half: the same person, the same patience with books, at the audience of one she had every weeknight after that workday ended. The Star Wars title is a small detail; the laugh on her face is the whole thing.