After the jump is a wonderful Arizona Public Media interview that ran last night about artist and LGBT activist Maurice Grossman, who died last week at age 82. The Tucson Weekly looks back at Grossman's life in our quarterly Pride issue this Thursday.

After speaking to a few people who knew Maurice well, I'm left wishing I had had a chance to count him as a friend or even an acquaintance. I first met him when I went to cover a Stonewall Democrats meeting. I saw him in action at a Pima County Nucleus Club debate. He let them have it.

The last time I saw him was last fall when he officiated a friend's wedding up in the hills near Vail. He had me in tears. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I ever attended. At the end, my son and I went up to him and introduced ourselves. We were up on one hill over looking the Empire Valley and Davidson Canyon. At the end of the ceremony we needed to walk down a rocky path and go up another hill for the reception. He asked if we could help him out a bit and figure out where we were all going.

My son took one elbow, and I took Maurice's other, and we talked a little. The conversation wasn't life-changing; it was just a little moment. But now, as I look back at that wedding, the people we met that night, and remembering Maurice's ceremony and blessing on my friends, I'm glad I had a chance to meander with him from one hill to the next.