Sweetheart

Sweetheart,

If I could write a letter and send it on it's way
Knowing it would reach you, I would like to say
How very much I miss you, how empty life now seems
Without you here beside me fulfilling all my dreams.

I never really realized, but all the beauties here
Were much enhanced and set aglow because I had you near.
Be with my now my skies are gray, help me to understand
And know that I must walk by faith for this is what He planned.

And God has been so good to me, to let you find me here
And share the joys upon this earth that we've known year by year,
The children that He gave us, you've been the proudest Dad
The tenderness that fills your eyes, recalling joys we've had.

I know that God will bless me, and may you be there too
To guide me through my rough spots as you've always seemed to do
And 'though we must say goodbye for now, I know that someday we
May be once again united for all eternity!

Your forever wife,
Orvetta

October 4, 1978

Orvetta's thoughts: James left me suddenly - October 4, 1978 - about 6 am (heart attack). As was expected the hours of the day went by with numbed feelings, much to do in a "bottomless" world.

I shall never forget going back into the bedroom that night and climbing into bed where I had watched him depart from me that morning. As I lay there, looking at dark walls, trying to comprehend the reality that he would never be there with me again, I turned my thoughts to what I could do to give him the funeral he would desire. And the impression came to me that he would want some lines of poetry from me. So I wrote this poem to him during the night of October 4, 1978.

I spoke it on tape and it was presented at the services, October 7, 1978.