Going Out In Style

By Dee Oliver

Marriage is probably one of the best things that ever happened to me; besides having children and getting Botox.

The downside to marriage is that it just doesn’t last, I know there is the whole "happily ever after" theory, but the reality of that is just improbable.

I am not referring to divorce I am referring to death.

Marriage starts at the same place and time but it doesn’t end that way. Very rarely do two people exit out of the world at the same moment.

I am well experienced in the separation of two people destined for forever….I was married to a funeral director for 25 years and I have a mortuary degree myself.

And now, well, I am the left over part of “happily ever after.”

As professionals in the business we sort of pride ourselves on being prepared for the unexpected, but very common occurrence of death--we know the pitfalls of what happens when people don’t think about or plan for their own death. 

Understandably, no one really thinks they are going to die--it's like the unexpected pregnancy--it happens to everyone else besides you.  It happened to me…the wonderful surprise third child. After that, I knew death was certain!! 

So I planned and planned and nagged my sweet, always dresses in a black suit, handsome husband about his death.  His answer was always, "I have it taken care of and since I am still standing may I please deal with the funerals of the day."

Well the good news was we did have a lot of it taken care of, but there were some surprises in store for me after he passed away.

My purpose here is to help you Go Out in Style…

So let’s start with something simple: keys! Yes, I said keys.

I remember just after Johnnie had died my sweet, handsome (aren’t they all?) UPS man stopped by our house to deliver a package and convey his sympathy to me and my girls.  He told me how sad he and his wife were for us and asked if there was anything they could do for my family? I smiled, gave

him a hug and with tears in my eyes I said, "Please go home and tell your wife what the keys on your key ring go to. Because I haven’t the faintest idea what all the keys in my husband's top drawer and on his key ring belong to, but I do know that somewhere there is someone who is locked out of something and I now own the missing key!!"

So……….. 


Say your prayers, say I love you, trust in God and always try to "Go out in style!"   

-Dee