They had been married almost 25 years when Death suddenly took him. Twenty-five years of traveling around the country with his work. Twenty-five years of adventures and building their family and finally settling into a place they believed they could call their forever home. Twenty-five years. It sounded like a long time . . . It wasn’t nearly long enough.
In response to our usual questions regarding personal belongings, she had asked that his wedding band be left on. It wasn’t an unusual request—actually more normal than not where couples are concerned, especially when the deceased is the husband. So, when she arrived for her private time with him, his simple gold band, worn slightly thin from years of use, was still on the ring finger of his left hand.
As she stood beside the casket, gazing down at this man with whom she had built a life, she noted that, from the day they had exchanged vows and she had given him that ring, he had never taken it off, an observation she concluded with the words, “I placed that ring on his finger 25 years ago, and I will be the only one to remove it.” And with a deep breath, she reached for his hand . . .
That ring was a symbol of the deep connection they shared, of their commitment to one another and to their life together. When I first wrote that sentence, it read “That ring had been. . .” but then I realized its significance had not ended. It had merely changed. Removing his wedding band didn’t signal the end of their relationship; it simply spoke of how very different it would be from that moment on. Rather than bury this symbol of their love with him, she chose to keep it close to her as a way to honor their life together. It is still a tangible reminder of what they shared in life . . . and of a bond that could not be broken by Death.
About the author: Lisa Shackelford Thomas is a fourth-generation member of a family that’s been in funeral service since 1926 and has worked with Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah, Tennessee for over 45 years. Any opinions expressed here are hers and hers alone and may or may not reflect the opinions of other Shackelford family members or staff.
