Mary Northup

My parents started the Unitarian Church here in Davis back in the 50s, and it was a very big part of my life growing up and theirs.

And my father and mother continued to be active even after they were divorced.

He had supported her in her wish to die at home, and it had been hard for him.

Claudia had started attending church while Marlin was still alive, and so she watched my father go through this, and when Marlin died, she gave him a shoulder to cry on.

I don't think her intent was, oh, now I'll go grab him, as much as that she was that compassionate person, and she saw this and wanted to help him through that grieving.

Every once in a while, there was an injustice, and it was important to him to make sure that when he found that, he did the best he could to get them a fair trial, to get them a fair hearing in the justice system.

A lot of the times he told me, I get one or two years shaved off because there have been errors.

He really had a beautiful voice.

That gave him the most joy.

All my siblings' kids really loved whenever Grandpa Chip came, they would say, sing us a song, and of course he would carry his guitar with him.

He got to that point.

I can tell you what happened from my view.

April 14th, I was supposed to be seeing my father at church.

He's part of this group, the musical group.

They've been together since, literally since the late 60s, part of the church.

And he didn't show up, and that was very unusual.

It was unusual enough that my mother said to me, you need to try to find your father.

So you guys have been divorced for 40 years, let it go.

But it sat in my brain.

So I went to try to call him, but our church is sort of out in the country here and didn't get any cell reception.