My second wife had died a few months
earlier. She was 74-years old, older than
I by 9-years. We had been together some
twenty-years off and on.
We had some hard and trying times, too
much to cover in this piece I’m writing
today. Suffice it to say, depression, al-
cohol and drugs were involved on both
sides. She was also dealing with child-
hood physical and sexual abuse issues
which haunted her throughout her life.
Anyway, I am an Army veteran and my
spouse was entitled to also be buried
at a National cemetery.
The family and I had a brief ceremony
at Ft. Logan Cemetery in Denver before
her ashes were interred.
It would be several weeks before the
headstone bearing her name, dates of
birth and death would be engraved
and placed appropriately on her grave.
A month or so later her daughter,
Tracie, and I re-visited the site to
see her newly placed marker among
the thousands of headstones, all the
same, uniformly placed in military
fashion, evenly spaced in horizontal,
vertical and diagonal rows.
And the inscription read—MARJORIE
B HANCH, MAR 28 1938, AUG 16
2012, WIFE OF SP5 CHRISTOPHER
J HANCH, USA, A DIAMOND IN
THE ROUGH. Margie’s daughter and
I had chosen the tribute, “Diamond in
the Rough“ as one most befitting her
mom’s personality.
And for me, it was striking to see my
name engraved on that headstone. It
was as if I too had found my eternal
place of rest, even though for the
time being it was in name only.
I often wonder what my kids will say
about me when it’s my time to go?
(Be nice now, remember the senti-
ment you choose will forever be
etched in stone.)
-30-
Chris Hanch 9-5-2020
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