Share Jennifer’s Life of Love, Creativity, and Kindness

Share Jennifer’s Life of Love, Creativity, and Kindness

Written with love by her partner in life of 20 years

Opening Words

Today we’re not just here to say goodbye to Jennifer — we’re here to honor her.

To celebrate her incredible soul, her fierce creativity, and the deep love she gave to the world.

Jennifer wasn’t just my wife.

She was my partner… my teacher… my best friend.

For 20 years, we lived, worked, and created side by side.

We were together nearly every day — and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The Artist of Everything

Jennifer had a gift that most people only dream of — she could create "anything".

*She made quilts that told stories and carried warmth.

*She embroidered hats, jackets, tote bags, jeans — if she could stitch it, she could bring it to life.

*She made custom patches for leather vests and even taught me how to sew them on myself.

*She handcrafted soaps, bath products, jewelry, stained glass, and so much more.

Her hands weren’t just talented — they were magic.

Everything she created carried a piece of her spirit.

She didn’t just “make things”… "she breathed life into them."

The Groove Shop — A Dream, A Passion, A Love

The Groove Shop wasn’t just a store.

It was an extension of Jennifer’s soul… and our shared dream.

Back in 2005, over a cup of hot coffee on a brisk winter morning, Jennifer and I started talking about the things that filled our hearts: creativity, passion, love for the handmade, and a desire to build something meaningful… "together".

That morning, we made a decision:

We set our course and went full steam ahead.

From that moment forward, The Groove Shop became more than a business.

It became our "love story in motion".

We worked side by side, creating handcrafted works of art to share with the world.

Over the years, Jennifer’s creativity couldn’t be contained under just one name… so we created multiple small business brands—each one a reflection of her heart and hands:

* "Verbena Naturals Bath and Body" – her love for handmade soaps, lotions, bath bombs, and body care.

* "Quilted Country" – where she poured her artistry into quilted pillows, table runners, tree skirts, and more.

* "The Chillin Chicken" – a fun and vibrant space for many of our handcrafted works of compassion and art.

* "Stitch of Thread Sewing Machine Maintenance and Repair" – my way of keeping the machines running for all the beautiful creations Jennifer and others were making right here in our community.

And all of it—"every stitch, every scent, every project—came from our shared shop space at 120 East Main Street in Benton, Illinois".

Just this past "Wednesday", Jennifer and I sat together and made one last creative decision:

We chose to bring everything back home… under the name that started it all…

"The Groove Shop."

It felt right.

It felt full circle.

And it felt like us.

And Jennifer’s dedication and talent didn’t go unnoticed.

In "2010", during our "third year together (before we were even married)", she was officially recognized in the "Cambridge Who's Who Registry of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs", listed proudly under her maiden name: "Jennifer Bocock", for her incredible work with The Groove Shop.

She was honored as a "VIP", featured in the "2010-2011 Edition" — a moment that filled her with pride and reflected the endless hours she poured into her craft, her shop, and her community.

We built The Groove Shop on a foundation of "honesty", "helpfulness", "efficiency", "accountability", and "trust".

We wanted every customer to feel:

“At Home with The Groove Shop.”

And Jennifer made sure of that.

We dreamers had our way of facing rainy days… and somehow, we survived.

We aimed beyond the clouds, rose above the crowd… and started our own parade.

The Groove Shop wasn’t just where we worked —

It was where we "lived", where we "loved", and where we built a "family of friends, customers, and kindred spirits".

The Quiet Goodness She Gave

Jennifer didn’t just create beautiful things — she created "moments of love".

I’ll never forget the day when a kind grandmother came into the shop asking us to make special gifts for her grandkids — a tote bag, a throw pillow, and a stuffed animal, each one personalized with the kids’ names.

But after she left, we realized something…

"One child’s name had been accidentally left out."

Without a second thought, Jennifer made that missing pillow — "no charge", no big announcement, just a quiet act of love — so that little girl wouldn’t feel left out when the gifts were delivered.

That’s who Jennifer was…

"Quietly kind. Always giving. Always thinking of others."

Teacher, Healer, Muse

Jennifer didn’t just make things — she "taught me everything I know":

How to blow glass.

How to make soap and bath bombs.

How to cook, garden, can food, embroider, and sew.

She didn’t just teach me skills.

"She taught me patience… and how to love deeper."

And she wasn’t just that way with me.

Customers came in hurting, struggling, or lost… and she helped them.

She listened. She cared.

She was a "healer… in her own quiet, beautiful way".

Our Life Together

It wasn’t always perfect — but "it was ours".

We laughed, worked, created… and yes… we butted heads sometimes.

She was ornery when I wasn’t quite right.

She had strong opinions — and Lord knows, I’m hard-headed.

But she was my "guiding light… always leading us home".

And when the world felt heavy, she knew just when to lean in and give me one of her "soft kisses" — the kind that could fix everything.

Final Words — Forever Hers

Jennifer isn’t gone.

She’s in every quilt.

She’s in the scent of lavender, sandalwood, and handmade soap.

She’s in the glimmer of glass catching the afternoon sun.

She’s in "The Groove Shop", in every name it ever carried…

And she’s in "me".

We weren’t perfect.

We were a work in progress.

But "we made it happen — together."

And that life with her… it was "priceless".

Jennifer is, and always will be, "my everything".

I love her…

"In life… and after life."