There are news that strike us like a blow, leaving us speechless, as if time suddenly stood still. The passing of Merline Jean is one of those moments.

I just learned, through her sister, Lynda Jean, my former student, that Merline took her last breath in the hospital, where she had been admitted for several weeks following a health issue. At this announcement, I was stunned, deeply saddened, and almost unable to find the words to express my grief. How can we accept that such a dynamic, charming, and devoted woman to the world of books could leave us so abruptly?