Erin Moriarty

When Chip met Claudia at the church he helped start, he was actually married to his second wife, Marlon, and was still on good terms with his first wife,

but Marlon was now dying of cancer.

Chip's son, Robert Northup, said that even though his father's relationship with Claudia moved quickly, the whole family was on board.

When you talk about Claudia, how would you describe Claudia?

Really?

An angel?

Why do you say that?

Chip's family knew Claudia was good for him.

Chip was used to running nonstop, and Claudia reminded him to take time for the most important people in his life.

Because I heard he worked a lot.

Chip had spent decades working as a lawyer.

Even after he retired, he still worked part-time as an appellate attorney to keep his mind sharp.

His daughter, Mary, said he was kind and dedicated to doing the right thing.

That's a victory.

Even in his late 80s, Chip stayed incredibly active in the broader Davis community.

He had been a proud member of the Rotary Club and the school board and worked the Sunday barbecue at the county fair.

He was also a founding member of a local folk band, the Pewta Creek Crawdads.

Chip also performed music at his church, which was like a second home to both him and now Claudia.

So when they didn't show up to the service that second Sunday in April, friends and family knew immediately that something was wrong.

On the morning of April 14, 2013, Chip Northup's daughter, Mary, and her mother, Chip's first wife, Peggy, arrived at the Unitarian Church, expecting to meet Claudia and Chip there.