by Dave Ferrill
I went to the cemetery on Christmas morning to leave some flowers for Stephanie and have a conversation with her. As I was leaving, I noticed a solitary woman standing over a grave nearby. Our paths crossed on the way out and I rolled down my window and asked if she was there for her husband. She said no, she was there for her daughter. By then I was out of the car and she asked for a hug. We stood face to face for maybe 15 or 20 minutes. She told me about her daughter and I told her about Stephanie. We hugged again and said Merry Christmas and goodbye. It was a Christmas blessing to run into a complete stranger and share a piece of our life story amidst the grief we were both feeling at that time. That encounter set up a sense of reverence and peace that lasted all throughout the day.
Dave and Stephanie Ferrill enjoyed 37 years of marriage together before Stephanie’s passing in November, 2022.