Many of you have been following our coverage of Hurricane Beryl and the subsequent flooding and blackouts that followed when it came ashore in Texas. If you have, you may already be aware that one of our writing staff here at Hot Air, Karen Townsend, lived in the Houston area and we lost contact with her shortly after the power went out. The blackout went on for far too long, with more than a week passing with no word from Karen. Yesterday we learned the tragic news that Karen was discovered deceased during a wellness check. A cause of death was not initially released. Karen had just turned 69 last month, and this took place only a few months after her beloved husband Charlie had passed away.

I first encountered Karen through her work at other outlets and we quickly struck up a long-distance, online friendship. She began her career with Salem Media much the same way that I began mine when Ed Morrissey generously opened the door for me well over a decade ago. She began contributing articles on a freelance basis and was soon able to be compensated for them. I was immediately impressed with the quality of her writing, the research that she put into her work, and her ability to track the ever-shifting news cycle like a hawk. She displayed strong, Christian-conservative values in both her written work and her personality. She rapidly became a regular feature on the pages of Hot Air, always making herself available to cover breaking news at odd hours and on Saturdays and Sundays, which I particularly appreciated as the weekend editor. When a full-time position for an editor came open, both Ed and I quickly pushed for an offer to be made to her. The powers that be at Salem wisely agreed and Karen accepted, becoming our next writer and editor on the staff. Her body of high-quality work rapidly grew in volume, along with her popularity among our readers.

But Karen Townsend was far more than simply another content creator. She was a constant presence in our team's online chats and email strings. She was always ready to pitch in and help and was quick to respond with compassion and sympathy if anyone was facing difficulties. I only had the opportunity to meet Karen a few times in person, but she was constantly in touch with all of us in the online world. She was far more than a teammate. She was a friend and a highly valued one at that.

Karen's loss hit me particularly hard, though I'm sure it's been even more of a challenge for her family and her friends back home in Texas. But Karen was strong in her Christian faith and her values. There is no doubt in my mind that she has rejoined Charlie in a better place and I hope she's keeping an eye on all of us to make sure we stay in line. Thank you for all that you shared with us, Karen, and may God shine His blessings upon you and yours.

David here: Jazz has written a lovely post for a lovely person. Karen has been a friend from afar and a key member of our team, without whom we would have accomplished so much less. I will miss her sense of humor, which came through in our offline chats. She and Beege tag-teamed, teasing me. We exchanged story ideas, which made me a better writer. I will miss her and our team will be poorer for her loss. 

Ed: I don't have much to add to Jazz' beautiful tribute, but I want to just express the blessing of having Karen with us for these years, not just as a colleague but as a friend. Karen had a real grace that was not just present in her writing but in how she interacted with everyone. When her beloved husband Charlie passed several months ago after a long illness, I told her to take as much time as she needed, but she told me that writing for the Hot Air audience really helped her deal with the grief and loss. Karen really enjoyed all of you, too. Rest in peace, my lovely friend, and may flights of angels sing you to your rest in the Lord. 

Beege adds: I have lost my girlfriend here and I am crushed. Even as the newbie during our innerwebs roundtables, she took time to encourage me, ask about our son, laugh at my stupid gifs. The first time she went after David on her own with my DAVID DAVID DAVID, I was so pleased and proud - we had well and truly bonded. Karen was the loveliest lady imaginable and the smoothest, effortless writer. Even when her posts were angry, there was such a serene calm about her words - so much thought had gone into them - that you felt you understood her "why" perfectly. Karen was a beautiful, generous soul. I was blessed to spin in her orbit for a short while. May the good Lord hold her and her sweet Charlie close in the palm of His hand, and we will smile through the tears believing so.