From My Window

"Til Death Do Us Part

By Jane Thibodeau Martin,

I read a daily and a weekly (of course the Times!) newspaper almost cover to cover " so at least 8 papers per week. One of my favorite parts of the paper is the obituaries. That may seem a bit morbid, but I find it fascinating, and in most cases, uplifting, to read about the lives of people I don't know at all. Of course it's hard to read obituaries of very young people, or those who die tragically. But many of the obituaries are loving tributes to ordinary men and women being recognized for their hard work, successful lives, contributions to society, and as fierce caregivers and guardians of their families.

One of the phenomena I have noticed in doing this for decades, is that it is more common than could be coincidental for long-married people to die within a week of one another. A recent obituary in Tulsa listed the wife, in her late 80's dying, and within 48 hours her husband, in his early 90's, passed away as well. I have seen similar situations in the Peshtigo Times, and have heard many people talking about this happening to someone in their church, family, or neighborhood. I'll bet a lot of you reading this column know of someone that this happened to.

I was reminded of this while going through my father's papers, where we found an original clipping from the Peshtigo paper from the year 1952. It noted the death of my great-grandfather, Edward Thibodeau, on a Friday night in 1952 at 87, causing the cancellation of the funeral of his wife Mary, my great-grandmother, already scheduled for the very next morning. She'd passed away on Wednesday. Instead, a double funeral was scheduled for Monday, for the couple wed for 64 years, and died less than three days apart.

Often when this happens people will say "He/she died of a broken heart" when their long-time spouse passes away. And that may be true. But when I hear about my great-grandparent's lifetime partnership, I prefer to think of it as him finally giving in to his worn-out body, knowing that his life's work in taking care of his wife was complete. "Well done, good and faithful servant. Come to your rest."



It's not the same when a husband and wife are parted when one of them dies while they are both relatively young. There is still work to do, perhaps, taking care of children, or elderly parents, and the surviving spouse wills themselves to pick themselves up and go on. They grieve, maybe for the rest of their lives, but know that their "job" on earth is not yet finished; they have more to give; and that the spouse will be waiting for them when the right time comes.

Instead of thinking about a broken heart causing such husband/wife deaths, which makes me sad; I prefer to think it is an incredible tribute to the strength of their bond, which they continue to honor as they leave this world for a better place.

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Issue Date	Department	Headline
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Debra J. Zeitler
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Donald R. Wene
04-19-2018	Obituaries	John C. Van Schyndel
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Lois L. Trever
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Robert C. Rasmussen
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Dolores M. Pendl
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Allen V. Mundt
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Janice A. Minecke
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Christine S. Malarski
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Marilyn Lunsford
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Richard L. Julian
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Daniel J. Jahns
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Daniel J. Jahns
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Clara G. Hart
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Jacqueline P. Hamilton
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Joseph Degeneffe
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Richard O. Davis
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Wayne Damp
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Benedict V. Banaszynski, Jr.
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Walter V. Anderson
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Richard C. Alley
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Margaret R. Rhude
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Marianna C. Schmidt
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Lois C. Gustafson
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Blake E. Gustafson
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Jamie A. Field
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Ronald A. Ellie
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Gary F. Doyen
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Marie H. Chaltry
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Stanley J. Budnik
04-19-2018	Obituaries	George J. Barrette
04-19-2018	Obituaries	Donna Bannow
04-19-2018	Sports	Focus on safety for spring turkey season
04-19-2018	Sports	Area Teams Ready To Begin Diamond Seasons
04-19-2018	Sports	" Baseball Preview"" Marines Will Rely on Strong Pitching Staff
04-19-2018	Sports	Hundreds of Walleye Waters Offer Great Fishing in 2018
04-19-2018	Perspectives	Country Cousin
04-19-2018	Perspectives	From My Window
04-19-2018	Perspectives	From our readers
04-19-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Students Earn Awards at Music Event
04-19-2018	Community - Crivitz	Country Gospel Jam Friday, April 20th
04-19-2018	Community - Coleman	Equity Park Craft, Vendor Fair June 16
04-19-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Library Book Sale
04-19-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Students Earn Music, Choir Awards
04-19-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Band To Debut New Uniforms
04-19-2018	Front Page	Marinette Man Dies In City Car-Motorcycle Accident
04-19-2018	Front Page	Blizzard Brings Marinette Co. Emergency Declaration
04-19-2018	Front Page	Peshtigo School Board Seeks One New Member
04-19-2018	Front Page	$1,000 Reward For Stop Sign Vandals
04-19-2018	Front Page	Anderson Again Heads Marinette County Board
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Harold Anderson
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Howard M. Arndt
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Lisa M. Becker
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Lawrence J. Block
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Joan E. Bohaczek
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Amy A. Boyle
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Joanne Downs
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Arnold Hummel
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Shirley Mae Logan
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Ethel W. Martz
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Marilyn Messenger
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Charlotte Miller
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Felecia B. Miron
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Christina L. Okon
04-12-2018	Obituaries	James J. Parnitzke Sr.
04-12-2018	Obituaries	William S. Rademacher
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Jack Salewski
04-12-2018	Obituaries	James D. Schmid
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Elizabeth A. Stewart
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Diane A. Vanden Brook
04-12-2018	Obituaries	James R. Wankowski
04-12-2018	Obituaries	Gerald W. Wozniak
04-12-2018	Sports	Bulldogs Look For Continued Success in New Conference
04-12-2018	Sports	Henrigillis Leads Peshtigo Baseball into Packerland
04-12-2018	Sports	WIAA Winter Team Tournament Sportsmanship Awards Selected
04-12-2018	Sports	Mother Nature Puts a Strangle Hold On Area Spring Sports sold On Spring Sports
04-12-2018	Perspectives	Country Cousin
04-12-2018	Perspectives	From our readers
04-12-2018	Perspectives	From My Window
04-12-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Blood Drive Thursday, April 19th
04-12-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Town of Wagner Meets April 18
04-12-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Silver Cliff Fire and Rescue Auxiliary Meets
04-12-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Lions Club Interested in Park Renovations
04-12-2018	Community - Crivitz	Princess Ball at Crivitz April 21
04-12-2018	Community - Crivitz	Middle Inlet May Schedule Clerk/Treasurer Referendum
04-12-2018	Community - Crivitz	LNRD To Meet April 12
04-12-2018	Community - Crivitz	Crivitz Junior High Lists 3rd Quarter Honor Rolls
04-12-2018	Community - Coleman	Faith Christian Lists Honor Roll
04-12-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman School Adds 10 Minutes Per Day
04-12-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Elementary Students Reach Goal of 75 Million Words
04-12-2018	Front Page	Bert Johnson Celebrated 100th Birthday April 6th
04-12-2018	Front Page	County Moves Toward Mental Health Court
04-12-2018	Front Page	Council Okays Evergreen Loan, Upholds Firing, Closes TIF Fund
04-12-2018	Front Page	Questions Raised Over REC Project Delays
04-12-2018	Front Page	Northwoods Recycling Coalition Continues Plans For Dissolution
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Lynne Baeten
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Mary Edna Beyer
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Russell Christensen
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Lillian S. Huss
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Roger L. Kamka
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Richard Larson Jr.
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Janet M. Mueller
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Lois M. Neuman
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Eileen F. Peterson
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Scott C. Pettey
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Robert Picazo
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Alice E. Polzin
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Amanda R. Schiiller
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Wilbur Storey, Jr.
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Thea J. Swenson
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Paul W. Van Acker
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Russell C. Vincent
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Leona G. Webber
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Helen Wojcik
04-05-2018	Obituaries	Gerald W. Wozniak
04-05-2018	Sports	Baiting and Feeding Bans in Effect for WI
04-05-2018	Sports	Spring Turkey Hunt Begins April 18th
04-05-2018	Sports	MYBI Baseball/Softball Tryouts Slated for April 7
04-05-2018	Sports	Farley Heads M&O First Team Selections
04-05-2018	Perspectives	Country Cousin
04-05-2018	Perspectives	From My Window
04-05-2018	Perspectives	From Our Readers
04-05-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Ravishing Matriarchs Red Hats Meet
04-05-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Seeks Grant For Park Improvements
04-05-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Post 66 Legion Meeting April 7
04-05-2018	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Blood Drive On Thursday, April 19th
04-05-2018	Community - Crivitz	Affordable Health Screenings in Crivitz
04-05-2018	Community - Crivitz	Crivitz Rescue Squad to Offer Youth Scholarships
04-05-2018	Community - Crivitz	CAWC To Meet Apr. 19
04-05-2018	Community - Crivitz	Crivitz Bowhunter's Club Holds Fundraising Banquet
04-05-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Water Sewer Utility to Meet Apr. 9
04-05-2018	Community - Coleman	Growing Berries at Home Hosted by Coleman Library
04-05-2018	Community - Coleman	Coleman Announces T-Ball Registration
04-05-2018	Community - Coleman	Klondike Sportsmen's Club Hosts 19th Annual Banquet
04-05-2018	Front Page	School Referendums Voted Down In Peshtigo, Pass In Coleman
04-05-2018	Front Page	Coleman Fire Dept. Meat Raffle April 8
04-05-2018	Front Page	Coleman School District Voters Approve 2 School Funding Questions
04-05-2018	Front Page	Crivitz Business Association Lists Persons of the Year
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Jack W. Anderson
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Karl W. Baumann
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Stephen Behling
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Jamie M. Braun
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Fern L. Engel
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Phyllis H. Fifarek
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Gloria Goeres
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Edwin Hilbert
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Doug Johnson, Sr.
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Henry R. King
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Kenneth A. Konz, Jr.
03-29-2018	Obituaries	Margaret F. Kubitz