my dad's brother, lecil, died friday night. he was 85. his wife, rebecca, is 86. he died on their 65th wedding anniversary.

65 years married. many of us won't even live 65 years. they married in 1942. that's almost not even in my realm of realization.

right after they married they moved to new hampshire i think dad said. he went to work at a defense plant to try and not get drafted. but drafted he was, and spent the next 3 years in WWII. he was wounded and a prisoner of war for some time. he was at iwo jima as well. in october of 45 he was discharged and started his life here in ky. he worked at some grocery stores, and some time later was able to open his own little food marts in bowling green, ky where they lived and raised 2 daughters.

i remember aunt rebecca owned a children's clothing store in downtown bowling green for some time when i was little. we'd always go shopping there for christmas clothes and easter outfits.

i never heard a cross or mean word from either of them. they were always the sweetest couple, and their daughters were just as nice as they were from what i could tell about a long distance relationship with this part of our family.

his visitation on saturday was the first time i've ever seen aunt rebecca unhappy. she's always been smiling. she kept telling me that she was trying to do as he would want her to, that she'd cried a city full of tears, and that she would try to be strong and carry on. by the end of the funeral yesterday she could barely stand and was speaking in a whisper. yeah, she was heavily drugged, but i've never seen such a blank, lost look on anyone's face. you never saw her without him, and yet at 86 years old she's telling me that she'll try to be strong and carry on, even tho she can barely hold her head up.

amazing. they're just amazing people. the funeral home was of course full of family, close and distant relatives, and customers of uncle lecil's over the years, all talking about how nice he was and how friendly. he had a military funeral, bagpipes and taps and flag folding and presentation. it's sad enough to lose someone so loving and kind, but military funerals really tear your heart out.

and all along there sat my little rebecca, calling everyone "sugar" as she's always done, wondering what she's gonna do for the rest of her life.

we'll be going down to visit her after a few weeks. we've gone at least once a month since he got sick back in april, and daddy's been going at least every other week. one of her daughters will be staying with her for a while too, so that will help. i'm just afraid she won't last 6 months without him. they were each other's whole life.