My stepmom, Judith "Judy" Harlin, passed away in her sleep yesterday morning, and our family is reeling.

Judy was the kind of woman who carried herself like a total badass — funny, warm, and fiercely loyal. She loved her two sons with her whole heart and stood by my dad through every season of their marriage.

She had been battling heart and lung issues for a long time. Around Mother's Day, she actually seemed to be turning a corner — which is part of what makes this so hard to wrap our heads around. We thought we had more time.

I'm setting up this fund on behalf of my dad, who is absolutely devastated and not in any shape to handle this himself. We need to raise $5,672 for Judy's cremation, and roughly half of that is needed as soon as possible to move forward. Anything raised beyond that will go directly to helping my dad keep his head above water — bills, food, basic care — while he grieves the love of his life.

If you knew Judy, you know she'd want her people taken care of. If you didn't know her, please know she was the kind of woman worth knowing.

Any amount helps. Shares help just as much as donations. Thank you for reading this, and thank you for any kindness you can spare.

With love,

Holly Schwiem