It turned out to be an exquisite day in so many ways — bright, sunny, warm and breezy — though it certainly didn’t begin that way.

On that Saturday in May, a number of us were headed to Northern Wisconsin to witness the wedding of a dear friend, someone I’ve known, and with whom I have laughed, for more than 30 years.

Driving to the event from Chicago, another friend and I stopped briefly along our route to grab a quick bite in Madison, though I was not prepared for some of the feelings I faced there.

It was in Madison, you see, that my sister had been living when she died unexpectedly, less than four…