Songwriter Sunday

Monday is the new Sunday, right?!

Not “Are You Afraid of the Dark Part 3”?!

Don’t worry. There will be more installments. I need some more time to feel ready to share more chapters of my life (that part at least). I appreciate your patience, friends.

Uncle Steve

It was just a little over 2 years ago when my dad’s brother, my Uncle Steve, said farewell to us. I swear I can still hear his laugh when it’s just quiet enough in a room…and I see his smile in the joy of others.

My uncle attended Milton College (what used to be a school in Milton, WI - my parents also attended the same college). He became an avid hockey player and went on to coach for the Rockford, IL Hockey Club. He worked construction until he retired and then became a professional bass fisherman. He oversaw tournaments from La Crosse, WI all the way to Bull Shoals, AR and loved his time working at Angler’s Edge, helping folks choose their dream boat.

When I found out about his cancer diagnosis, a mixture of emotions happened. I wondered how he must feel…physically…emotionally…mentally. I thought about memories of myself as a child with him, being chased around my grandma and grandpa’s house with his dentures in hand (a unforgettable and funny memory). I thought about how infectious his smile and laugh are in this world. I thought about how he and my Uncle Ken would call me “Casey” instead of Katie or Kathryn, just to get a rise out of me. I thought about how different life would have been without him, and how life would change without him here.

Jessica’s Family Restaurant

For the first time in my adult life, I had time with him one on one November of 2022. We had breakfast and talked about life. It was the first time I had truly seen his humanness…the parts of him I couldn’t see as a child. It was comforting to see that he was as socially awkward as I can be (love you, Uncle Steve). And I felt honored to see his brave face fade away as our conversation progressed. He shared some of his most prominent memories…and expressed his worries and regrets. It became clear to me that the jokester of my childhood was so much more than the laugh seeker or fisherman…and I was disappointed in myself for not seeking a relationship with him sooner.

And despite having every understandable reason to fear what was to come, he was as brave as anyone I’d ever laid eyes on.

As I left Jessica’s Family Restaurant on that brisk November day, I could feel tears drying on my cheeks from the post Thanksgiving breeze. It’s a day I’ll forever cherish in Roscoe, IL.

A couple of hours after he passed, I could feel him. I could feel his presence. I said, “Hey, Uncle Steve. Show me what you got.” The lights in my bathroom then flashed on and off 3 times. This brought me immense comfort. And I felt, once again, so grateful to be connected to my loved ones and their energy - forevermore.

Sharing Time

I’d like to share a song of mine with all of you. It’s called “Farewell.” I wrote it in honor of the inspiring and honest conversation I had with my Uncle Steve. I hope it brings you all comfort, as it has me.

I can’t wait to share the back story to more of my songs with all of you, as well as my journey in music and life. Until next time.

See you in a week

If you’re reading this, thank you. I’m honored. And I can’t wait to continue on this journey via Substack with all of you! We’ll see what next Sunday brings.

To learn more about myself, follow my show schedule and hear my music: Kathryn Severing Fox's website

The Severing family (my paternal extended and immediate family; my Uncle Steve, pictured between me and my dad)

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