Bloglander

Meier and her sister Denise as children.

Art had always been a part of Meier's identity. But in the last period of her life, Meier's artwork increasingly became a crucial part of her self-expression.

Meier and her husband, Dan, years ago.

Years ago, Meier was renowned in her family for making elaborate homemade birthday cakes, like this one for Sally's first birthday Two of her older kids, Jesse and Lisa, join the celebration

Meier with her youngest, Angelina. Today, as a teenager, Angelina's fondest memories of her mother involve their visits to Pine River Park and the Little Spokane River.

The three-acre property where Meier spent much of her last five years. Meier did not have permission to stay on the property, and the property owner, Al Payne, removed and trimmed trees to try to drive away campers like Meier. But Meier's sister Lori reports that Payne, too, showed up at one of Meier's memorial services and paid his respect. "She was the lone survivor. She was a determined lady," Payne says. "She could be ever charming, and at the same time very stubborn."

Dan Meier, Meier's husband, stands at the memorial at the accident site.

Meier's mother, Jacqueline Bender, with a piece of Meier's artwork, covered with Bible verse fragments. Religion, especially angels, figured prominently into Meier's artwork.

Amy Bender, Meier's sister, at the accident site.

A cell phone picture of the notebook found by Amy Bender, Meier's sister, near the accident site. The book contained love notes to Meier's children.

The last page of Meier's notebook found near the accident site.

Across from the memorial site of the accident, the word "VIRTUE" has been painted on the rock face in pink and purple — a color dominating much of Meier's artwork. Meier slept in a circle she had drawn and labeled "virtue" the night before she was run over by a city truck.Her family colored in the word "virtue" and decorated the surrounding asphalt with sidewalk chalk drawings.