A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 140 – Sunday, May 19, 2024

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 140 – Sunday, May 19, 2024

This weekend I’m in Arvada, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.  My twin nieces, Maggie and Lucy Smith, graduated from Ralston Valley High School on Friday, May 17. They are the daughters of my brother, Chuck Smith and his wife, Cyndi.

I am so happy that I was able to attend their graduation ceremony. It was held at the arena at the University of Colorado at Boulder, which is where Maggie is attending college in the fall!

Today, both Maggie and Lucy are having a 2024 graduation party at their home, complete with a charcutier board (created by Lucy), a double graduation cake, banners, cornhole game, a new trampoline and dozen of friends and family members.

My oldest daughter, Lauren, was able to fly into Denver on Saturday, so we are enjoying visiting with everyone out here. Even though my mother has passed away, I know that she is very proud of both Maggie and Lucy!

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 128 – Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Tonight, I attended the “Palm Royale” Sneak Season Finale at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. It was such a fun event! The show was sponsored by the Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS). As a member of the ACS, I have spent the last almost seven years, since its founding in August 2017, volunteering, attending movie premiers and film festivals sponsored by ACS. “Palm Royale” is a ten episode limited series, airing on Apple TV+ and is described on IMDb as “An ambitious woman schemes to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society circa 1969.” It stars Kristen Wiig, Josh Lucas, Ricky Martin, Leslie Bibb, Allison Janney, Laura Dern and Carol Burnett, among others. The final episode was aired on Tuesday night, the day before it would be available to everyone else. We were the only audience in the world to see it early!

As a widow, I always go to these events alone, but I don’t mind. I have met many other people through the organization and our collective love of all things film, movies and television. Many times, I know other people there so I have others to talk to. But, I do get my picture taken by myself and often sit by myself. It’s not for everyone.

The highlight of the night was seeing actor Josh Lucas, a native Arkansan, speaking at a Q & A after the showing of Palm Royale. Here’s the agenda for the occasion:

IT’S THE EVENT OF THE SEASON… See you tonight for the “Palm Royale” Sneak Season Finale! Take a second to look over these things you need to know…

After the airing of the season finale of “Palm Royale”, a Q+A was held featuring Josh Lucas and Executive Producer Jayme Lemons, and moderated by Writer, Producer and Actor Graham Gordy, both who are also from Arkansas.

Everyone who attended the event was encouraged to wear “Palm Beach Chic” which is best described by Suebelle, a Palm Beach creator with 60,000 Instagram followers, in an interview with TOWN&COUNTRY, published online November 29, 2023, “It’s old money, preppy, and colorful. The island is covered in pinks and greens, from the outfits to the houses and hotels. You’re encouraged to wear white year round; you’ll rarely see someone wearing all black. Everybody is in silks and chiffons, it’s very upscale and elegant. You’ll see the most fabulous jewelry here, too. It’s unlike anywhere else.”

Here is a link to an article about the Costume Designer, Alix Friedberg, explaining the process she went through to design the costumes for 1969 Palm Beach.

Palm Royale’s Costume Designer Alix Friedberg Talks ’60s Fashion | Who What Wear

Everyone who attended the event understood the assignment.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 62 – Saturday, March 2, 2024

I spent Friday night at Sara and Will’s house in Jonesboro. After a late breakfast at Waffle House, Will went to his parent’s home for the rest of the weekend and I stayed another night with Sara. We had such a fun time! That night, we ate Mexican food, bought fragrances and body lotion at Bath and Body Works, and made fresh flower arrangements together!

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 61 – Friday, March 1,2024

Today, I drove to Jonesboro to see Sara host the last home game of the season for the Arkansas State Women’s basketball team. They didn’t win, but they played a good game and Sara was awesome in her hosting duties! It was nice to watch the game and then go back to Sara and Will’s house and watch Dateline and then spent the night.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 17 – Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Twelve years ago this month, our whole family visited Honolulu, Hawaii. My husband was a speaker for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting and our daughters, and I were able to join him in Hawaii! While we were there, Lauren turned 19 years old. It was a fabulous trip! Although Stewart had to attend meetings, report from the convention and do his daily and weekly duties, he was still able to spend some time with us every day. On our last full day, we went on a tour of the island. We had such a great time and have wonderful memories of our trip.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 16 – Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Today I had an appointment with my Oncologist, Dr. Lawrence Mendelsohn at CARTI. Before the appointment, I have lab work done. Even though I am going on over 20 years in remission from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I still get anxious every time I have a checkup. He said my labs were good (he’s checking my iron level because last year I had anemia.) I’ll have another checkup in a few months.

The photo on the left was taken at an event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In the spring of 2015, I was in the running for Women of the Year. I held a fundraising campaign and then attended a banquet in May 2015 at the Clinton Library where the winners were announced. I didn’t win but I was proud to be nominated.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 15 – Monday, January 15, 2024

Finances

Even though it can be uncomfortable to talk about, everyone should have life insurance. Most people get it through their employer, but for people who are self-employed, they have to purchase life insurance policies separately. Because he was self-employed, he didn’t have a current policy. My husband had always told me that if something happened to him, our girls and I would be taken care of by a family trust he had and I was named his beneficiary. But when he died suddenly, his family said the trust wasn’t set up that way. And there I was. A widow who is also a cancer survivor who worked part-time and the sole provider of two teen girls. Luckily, I had a life insurance policy through my work for my husband that paid for his $13,000 funeral and obituary notices in the newspapers. My family stepped in and helped me pay some of our day-to-day bills. With the sudden loss of your spouse, the last thing you want to worry about is money, or the lack of money. I don’t tell a lot of people this information, but it’s important.

Here’s some helpful information I wish I had.

When Your Spouse Dies – A Checklist | A People’s Choice (apeopleschoice.com)

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 14 – Sunday, January 14, 2024

Last week, it snowed several inches and Little Rock received many ice storms over several days. As a retired widow in my early 60’s who lives with my 85-year-old father, we both stayed home for almost one week! It made me think of when my husband was still alive, and our two daughters were younger. Sometimes, we were able to play and go sledding in the snow, and other times we had to figure out how to get our kids to school and us to work. So it was nice recently to just stay off the streets and enjoy the winter weather. And the best part of living out in the country is the fact that we have acres of land that our four rescue dogs (Jed, Darren, Mr. Dogg and Foxy) all loved playing in the snow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 13 – Saturday, January 13, 2024

Jed on Nana’s bed!

Meet Jed – our close to 100-pound rescue hound dog named after Jed Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies.

When my sister, Lori, rescued Jed one late Saturday night in November 2022, he was just skin and bones. After posting his photo on Facebook, several people contacted us and said that they were trying to help him at a house in Jacksonville. There were photos of him behind a fence, with no food or water.

He’s now a happy and healthy dog who loves living out in the country and playing with our other three dogs!

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 12 – Friday, January 12, 2024

Today I met Golden Globe Award nominated actress Joey Lauren Adams, who is a native of North Little Rock and a graduate of NLR Northeast High School at a special screening of her 2006 movie, Come Early Morning starring Ashley Judd. The Joint, a comedy club in the Argenta area of North Little Rock, held a special showing of the film, which she wrote and directed. I attended a special VIP reception before the movie started, where I met and talked with Joey and her husband. They were both very friendly and said that they had a short film shown at the Arkansas Shorts film festival, held the weekend before in Hot Springs.

I remember when Come Early Morning was being filmed in the Central Arkansas area. I even had a coworker from UAMS who was an extra in a scene at a veterinarian’s office. After the movie, Joey did a Q & A with the audience. It was interesting to find out about the casting process and how she chose locations for the film. The movie, about a thirty-something southern woman looking for love, despite dealing with an emotionally absent father, aging relatives and a job in construction.

The cast consists of a unique combination of seasoned professionals, such as Academy Award nominated actress Diane Ladd, Golden Globe Award winner actor Stacy Keach and Laura Prepon (That ’70s Show) along with local actors Candyce Hickle and future movie Director Jeff Nichols.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 11 – Thursday, January 11, 2024

I Don’t Know About You, But I Don’t Think I Look 62!
(Apologies to Taylor Swift…)

But sometimes I feel like I’m 62, or older. One of my resolutions for 2024 was to focus on my health. As a 23-year Cancer Survivor of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I am trying to eat healthier, exercise more and maintain a better sleep schedule this year. Since I’m retired, I have time to schedule my many doctor’s appointments and visits to specialists throughout the year. I’m lucky that I have yearly checkups with my Cardiologist, my Pulmonologist, my Oncologist, my Kidney Doctor, my Dermatologist, and my Primary Care Physician. So far, I have been sleeping better, which in turn makes me feel better. I also see a Chiropractor and try to have regular massages. Another one of my guilty pleasures is having my nails done with a manicure. I also like to dress younger at times, because it makes me feel better! I love wearing LOFT skirts with sweaters, black tights and black boots. All of these things just go into helping me feel younger.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 10 – Wednesday, January 10, 2024

This afternoon I participated in a Zoom Seminar featuring the creator of my new favorite drama series, Found, Nkechi Okoro Carroll (who goes by NK) and lead actress, Shanola Hampton. There were also some of the female writers in this presentation. Found is my new favorite drama series and I’ve written two blog posts related to it. This entry about Found along with my new favorite comedy, Frasier and another blog about one of the actors, Bill Kelly, who plays Police Captain Tony Mallory in the drama.

Since I love all things television and especially, writing, attending this online seminar was such fun. It’s always great to see “behind the scenes” and learn how a new TV project goes from development to production to actually airing on a network. NK, who also serves as Showrunner and Producer of Found, revealed during her discussion that it took seven years to get Found on TV. I also liked finding out that there was almost an entirely female crew used in the production of Found. Since the show deals with the serious storylines of missing people, NK created a safe place for both the actors and the crew. If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch Found, you can watch all 13 episodes of Season One on Peacock.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 9 – Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Happy Birthday To My Oldest Daughter, Lauren Grace!

Thirty-one years ago today, I had my oldest daughter, Lauren Grace, a few minutes before noon. She weighed 6 pounds and 14 ounces when she was born. My husband, Thruston and I couldn’t decide what to name our daughter. At first, he liked the name Sara Elizabeth and I like Autumn or Bethany. And then I liked Victoria, but he didn’t care for it. When we first found out that our baby was a girl, I wanted to name her Sloane, after Ferris Bueller’s girlfriend in the 1986 hit movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Once I said the name out loud, I realized that Sloane Doan would not work! Since we were both in college in the 1980’s, clothes designed by Ralph Lauren were pretty popular with college students. I’ve always loved the name of actress Lauren Bacall (birth name Betty Joan Perske) who was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute.

We actually had her middle name, Grace, picked out first because it is the name of both our grandmothers. My mother’s mother, who we called Nina, was named Grace. And my husband’s father’s mother was named Grace. So we named our oldest daughter Lauren Grace Doan. Four years later, when we had our second daughter on March 29, 1997, we named her Sara Elizabeth Doan.

Lauren is a Capricorn. According to the website Astromix, “It is the sign of leaders, ambitious and mature personalities who pave their way to success.” Lauren was delighted when she found out that she shares a birthday with Kate Middelton!

Lauren has always been sweet, smart and so pretty! With her brunette hair, big brown eyes and olive skin, I call her my “Mini Me”. Growing up, she loved taking dance lessons, was on the Newspaper Staff at Little Rock Central High School and liked going to movies with our family. Once she discovered Foreign Languages in Middle School, she took French in the 6th grade and loved it! We have always been so proud of Lauren. She graduated from LR Central High School and was admitted to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where four years later she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and German. She also studied abroad in Austria as an Exchange Student in the spring semester of her sophomore year in college. Lauren went on to live and work in Boston and worked as an Academic Event Planner at Harvard University for four years. With her rescue dog, Blue, she now lives in Chicago and works for the University of Chicago.

I know her father is so proud of Lauren.

 

 

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 8 – Monday, January 8, 2024

Dating As A Widow…Sucks

Over the past ten years or so, I have tried several different dating apps, but they were mostly full of creeps or scammers. I’ve had a few dates with nice guys but nothing special. I’ve been told that dating after the age of 50 is like finding the least disgusting thing in a garbage dump. Even though I’ve seen in my Widow Support Groups, that many widows find new loves, or Chapter Two’s, as they are called, I haven’t found anyone that I was interested in. I was excited to watch ABC’s The Golden Bachelor, which featured a 71 year old Widower named Gerry Turner looking for love again after his wife passed away from breast cancer.

Right around Halloween in 2023, I matched with a guy, “Mike from Eldorado” on Facebook Dating. I usually don’t check that account, but Mike seemed like a good match. He was attractive, the same age as me, retired from a corporate career and active in running, swimming, playing tennis and pickleball.

We started messaging each other and then it turned into texting and talking on the phone. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I was excited about the prospect of dating again. We had a lot in common: he is also a widower because his wife died from breast cancer in 2017; his first job after he graduated collage was working at Texas Instruments in Dallas while I worked at EDS nearby; we both have two daughters that are similar ages and we both have a daughter named Sara Elizabeth.

After nearly two months, we finally met in person on the morning of Sunday, Christmas Eve at Community Bakery in downtown Little Rock. He was in town to visit his daughter, who lives in North Little Rock, for Christmas. I was on my way to Sara’s in-laws, the Chamberlin’s for Christmas. We talked for over an hour before I had to start on my trip to Hernando, Mississippi and he was going on to his daughter’s house.

I had such a wonderful time with the Chamberlin family in Hernando. They have 3 different Christmas celebrations! It was such a big change from last year, where my father, me and my sister all had Covid at Christmas. No presents, no Christmas dinners, no family visiting. So this year, I was so happy to be part of a family again celebrating Christmas with wonderful meals, surprising gifts, watching one of my favorite movies, Just Friends, on Christmas Eve and just visiting in a beautifully decorated home.

After I drove back to Little Rock on the afternoon of Christmas, I tried calling Mike but didn’t get an answer. The next day, I received this text message from him:

Hi Leslie. I see you called yesterday. I’d like to cut our communication off and wish you the best moving forward.

 Dating As A Widow…Sucks

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 7 – Sunday, January 7, 2024

My Cat Died

When you have experienced the sudden loss of your husband, the loss of a pet wouldn’t seem as important, but it is. Lilly wasn’t “just a cat”, she was my best friend. When Thruston died on May 10, 2012, Lilly stayed by my side, day and night. It was like she knew something was terribly wrong in our home. Lilly became our family pet after Sara told me that there was a kitten underneath a trailer at her school, Fulbright Elementary School. This happened during the last week of school when Sara, was 10 years old and finishing up the 4th grade. Sara even named the kitty Lilly after Hannah Montana’s best friend in the popular Disney TV show. I called a local cat rescue group which had a lady, Lynn, come out and trap Lilly and took her to live that summer with about a dozen other stray kittens. By the end of the summer, Sara and I had convinced my husband that we were going to “foster” Lilly for a week. She ended up staying with our family for the next 16 years! So, when I had to make that hard decision to put her to sleep on December 4, 2023, it felt like my husband died all over again. Over the last several months, she was dealing with many health problems: thyroid issues; kidney difficulties and had become blind. Even until the end, Lilly still slept with me every night. Losses are always hard. Losing Lilly was extra hard because it made me feel like my former life was slipping away. The loss of my husband, the loss of our home (by selling it in 2016 for financial reasons), the loss of our pet dog, Oreo at age 15 in the fall of 2019, and now Lilly, weeks before Christmas in 2023. RIP Sweet Lilly.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 6 – Saturday, January 6, 2024

Today I attended the 17th Annual Arkansas Shorts Film Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This was my first time to go and I’m so glad I did! Along with my goal of 2024 to “Immerse myself in film”, I purchased a three-day ticket for the festival but was only able to make it on Saturday. The festival was held at the Malco Theater on Central Avenue, and it was full of other movie lovers like me and filmmakers. I had such an active day at the festival. I arrived around 2:30, just in time to get a free headshot from Hot Springs photographer, Aaron Brewer. Then I went into the theater to watch SHORTS BLOCK #6 at 3:15, All In A Day’s Work, featuring seven short films about jobs and work. They range from two minutes to 18 minutes long each. One of the films, World’s Lamest Teacher, by Casey Lee Floyd from Arkansas, later won the Audience Choice Award, announced on Sunday, January 7.

The next block of films, SHORTS BLOCK #7, was titled Love, Actually. All of the nine films in this category focus on love and relationships. The final block of films, SHORTS BLOCK #8, was called Take Action and all of the 11 films contain characters that take action, ranging from a ballerina living in Los Angeles to a teen boy experiencing his first heartbreak.

Following the festival, there was an After Party at the nearby Superior Bathhouse Brewery. I went and had a great time meeting new people and visiting with ones I already know. The highlight of the evening was when an adorable female stray dog wandered into our party and ended up going home with a sweet couple! By the time I arrived home in Little Rock, it was after midnight.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 5 – Friday, January 5, 2024

Today is my friend, Darin’s, birthday! Darin and his wife, Kari, were our next-door neighbors when my husband and I purchased our first home in Little Rock in the summer of 1989. All these years later, they are still my good friends. They also now live in Burbank, California and they have let me stay with them many times over these last several years. Since I’ve taken an early retirement, I have signed with Central Casting in Los Angeles, am listed with Casting Networks and have spent a summer in LA studying Cinema Arts at USC. I have appeared in a Flo Rida music video, worked as a background actor in dozens of shows filmed in LA, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville and Memphis. I enjoy being “on set” even if it is just being a background actor, otherwise known as an extra. I once spoke with actor Josh Duhamel and told him that watching him as Leo on All My Children helped me get through cancer treatment. I’ve watched Kellie Pickler sing on Hallmark’s Wedding at Graceland and was surprised to see singer Seal perform the song Kiss from a Rose while I was standing outside of the Bel Air behemoth mansion known as “The One” for the show Loot. Most recently, I was one of about 100 background actors that watched Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll sing while we were enjoying a backyard barbeque at a farm outside Nashville that appeared in the 2023 Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. I am trying to find joy in spending time with my family and also by working on films, television programs, commercials and music videos.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 4 – Thursday, January 4, 2024

As I write my 4th installment of “A Day In The Life Of A Widow”, I realize I haven’t really chronicled an actual day in my life as a widow. Instead, I’ve been listing the bad things that come with being a widow and stating some positives in my life.

So today, here’s a snapshot of how I spent my day:

11:00 am – Woke up. I should preface this with the information that when my husband died suddenly, I was diagnosed with Insomnia, Anxiety and Depression. I couldn’t sleep for days. I ended up in the same hospital exactly two weeks after my husband died, with the same doctor in the Emergency Room. I was dehydrated, anxious, suffering from Bronchitis and respiratory issues. I had to have an IV of fluids and sedatives and was picked up from the hospital by my sweet neighbor, who also is a nurse. I didn’t even tell my daughters that I was in the hospital. I had an earlier appointment with my Pulmonary Doctor for a checkup and was told that everything was “fine”. I ended up driving myself to the hospital because I thought I was having a panic attack but didn’t know it was a panic attack. I received antibiotics for my Bronchitis, cough syrup for my respiratory issues, and Ambien to help me sleep. It worked for a few years, but then I started sleepwalking and breaking bones (left shoulder in February 2018 that resulted in two different surgeries) (Right leg in October 2020 in which I ended up with a total hip replacement). I stopped taking the Ambien while I was in the hospital that weekend. But I still have the Insomnia. So I tend to stay up late and sleep in later.

12:00 – 1:30 pm – Fed dogs, took medicine, took shower and got ready. Drove to 2:00 meeting.

2:00 – 3:15 pm – Attended a Filmmaker Forum sponsored by the Arkansas Cinema Society at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. This seminar addressed the issues regarding film incentive, Arkansas industry updates, discussions about needs in the film community and to allow filmmakers to connect with each other. There were over 30 people in person at the meeting and about a dozen additional attendees from all over the state via Zoom.

3:15 – 5:30 pm – I stayed after the meeting to talk with friends I’ve made over the years through working as a background actor in Arkansas or by volunteering with the Arkansas Cinema Society since it was founded in 2017. It was so nice to have two people come up to me, hug me and say “Hello Leslie!” Being a widow can be very lonely at times so I really appreciate these friends. I also hope to work with them later in the year. These are my two goals for the year – Make healthy choices regarding eating, sleeping and exercise and also focusing on film activities this year.

5:30 – 6:00 pm – Drive home while stopping at a Dollar General Market.

6:00 – 6:30 pm – Make dinner for myself and my father. Tonight, it was sloppy joes!

7:00 – 9:00 pm – Watched the Golden Bachelor’s Golden Wedding on ABC

9:00 – 10:00 pm – Watched General Hospital’s 60th Anniversary Special on ABC

10:00 – 1:00 am – Worked on Blog

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 3 – Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Secondary Losses

According to the website speakinggrief.org, “Secondary” means that these losses come as a result of the death, not that they are any less impactful or less difficult. Secondary Losses can include Financial Stability, Relationships or a Home. I learned in a Grief Share meeting that Secondary Losses can be as simple as not having your husband to mow the lawn to as complex and devastating as the loss of a second income.

Four years after my husband died suddenly on May 10, 2012, I sold our family home. It was not an easy decision to make but it was one that had to be done. Even all these years later, I still have nightmares where I walk into “my” home but it’s not mine anymore. It belongs to a young family that moved in with 1.5 kids and now have 4 children. According to their Facebook page. I also know that this family has been welcomed into “my” old neighborhood. Every holiday and every season I see my former neighbors and friends celebrating. It makes me feel sad and mad at the same time. That’s just one of the many secondary losses widowed families have to suffer through. Health. Dreams. Hopes. There are many, many more…

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 2 – Tuesday, January 2, 2024

I’m writing the second installment of my daily journey to chronicle my feelings of being a widow. Yesterday I wrote a lot of what I don’t have. Today, I’m going to focus on the things I do have…

1. Two smart, kind and beautiful daughters. Despite losing their father when they were 19 and 15, they both went on to graduate from college in four years and have good careers and relationships. My youngest daughter, Sara, got married in August at the Paris-Yates Chapel at Ole Miss, where she met her now husband. Her sister, Lauren, served as Sara’s Maid of Honor.
2. I am a 22-year cancer survivor. I don’t take that lightly. For the past year and a half, I’ve driven cancer patients to their appointments at CARTI in the Central Arkansas area through a company called SendaRide.
3. Many family members and friends that have helped me through these years since my husband passed away.
4. Opportunities to travel and continue my love of movies and appearing as a background actor. In the past years I have filmed in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis, Nashville as well as here in Arkansas.

 

A Day In The Life Of A Widow – Day 1 – Monday, January 1, 2024

Oh my goodness. As I started to write this post, I noticed that the current time is 10:28 pm. As in

October 28, my birthday. And ten days after our wedding anniversary date of 10/18/86. My husband died over 11 years ago, so it’s still our wedding anniversary date. It seems weird to be a widow for over a decade when I have friends from high school on their third marriage. Or the daughter of a friend from college starting her second marriage. What’s up with that? Or, as my oldest daughter says, I’m being judgy again. I don’t even think that’s a word, but it works for me. Here’s a little about me:

• My husband, Thruston Stewart Doan, and I met in my last semester of my senior year in college.
• We dated long distance for two years until we became engaged over Christmas 1985. At the time I was living in Dallas, Texas and he was living in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas.
• We have two daughters, Lauren Grace and Sara Elizabeth who were 19 and 15 when my husband died suddenly on May 10, 2012 of an undiagnosed Pulmonary Embolism.
• We had celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary and I was 50 years old and he was 52 when he died. I had been with him for half of my life.

I’m hoping to blog about my feelings about everything having to do with being now a 62 year old widow.

I found the following information on the Internet, so it must be true:

“As widows move through their own experiences of grief, loss or trauma after the death of a spouse, they may also face economic insecurity, discrimination, stigmatization, and harmful traditional practices on the basis of their marital status.”