Bonus Mom by Katie Lane

Here is a wonderful tribute written by my daughter Katie about Debbie.

My sweet bonus mom passed away yesterday.

Debbie came into my life exactly when I needed her most. I was 21 years old, a brand-new mom, and grieving the loss of my own mom to cancer. From the very beginning, she made me feel welcomed, loved, and like I belonged.

She became Jackson's beloved "Rar-Rar," and I will always be grateful that she stepped into that role with so much love. She held space for my grief, never trying to replace my mom, but patiently loving me through it. We shared countless conversations, always respecting and caring for one another.

When Allison was born, Debbie scooped her right up and proudly became her grandma too. Then came Hunter and Chase. I still smile thinking about how she thanked me for "letting her be a grandma" because now she was a professional.

Debbie was the glue that held our family together. Because she became my bonus mom, I was blessed with two incredible sisters, Mikki and Aimee, whom I love with all my heart and soul. Along with them came an amazing extended family that welcomed me with open arms.

Debbie made it possible for me to be loved by so many people when I needed it the most. That is a gift I will carry with me forever.

She may be gone from our sight, but she will always be with us. She is finally free to be the Debbie we all know and love, and I know she's smiling down on all of us.

I will miss her forever.

Thank you, Debbie, for being my mom. I love you so much, and I always will.

Induction Ceremony 2025 Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame

My induction into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame was an unexpected but greatly appreciated honor. My family and friends suited up and showed up in numbers that exceeded my expectations. To have my children and grandchildren there made it an amazing experience. 

The hardest part for me was the speech. Not giving the speech but deciding on what to say. Each inductee is given five minutes which, after the obligatory thank yous, leaves very little time for a serious message. I had been on the IIHOF board for many years and attended over 20 events, so I have heard at least 80 inductee speeches. Some were awkward, some were polished, some were boring. The ones I remember best were funny, so I went with humor with a message. 

I was introduced by Abby-Jaye Larson a fellow CPCU with a personality that shines in the dark. She did a great job and set the stage for my speech. I had some notes printed out but I fumbled them on stage and winged it to the end.  Here is a link to a video of the event.

Besides the the people that attended I heard from friends from across the country. I heard how I had helped them, encouraged them to be their best, and a few that said I gave them a swift kick that they needed at the time. Much of what I heard were the nice platitudes that people say about the deceased at a funeral. I will alway be grateful for the experience.

The recognition was a wakeup call for me, as a senior leader in the local insurance community, to be sure to step up and nominate people that I know that should be in the IIHOF too. I am activity working on four at this time. 

A Visit to Kearney

 A pleasant time was had by all.