My dearest Arthur

I’m still coming to terms with the fact that you’re no longer close to us, particularly your adoring wife, Loretta. Loretta tells me that she wished you were there to keep her company and share her exciting stories. Loretta loves the time you two spent together, the activities you did as soul mates, and your intimate friendship. It’s not that Loretta didn’t know cancer would take you away from her, but it did so much earlier than she planned. Loretta will never forget the day she opened the door for you at your first dancing lesson, she looked at you and felt that her love life was complete. She looked at you and knew you were meant for her. Not only did you come into your trainer’s house, but you also entered into the heart and soul of the woman who would be your love till the day of your demise.

Your wife believes that your spirit is watching over her, she knows you have not gone far away, and she relives you in her memories. That is why all the lovely stories you told her about your family and childhood experiences are still fresh in her mind.

Arthur, your goodness cannot be forgotten, you were exceptional in character. When I spoke to Loretta, she said that would you have been a dog; you would have never scratched a flea off your back. Your kindness, love, romance, understanding, and practicality is deeply missed because very few people have matching qualities. You were a beautiful soul, surely missed by all who knew you, but above all by your wife, Loretta

Rest in peace

Name

In Memory of Keller Arthur, Loretta’s Loving Companion

Many people have described bereavement as ’cruel,’ it has also been impersonated, spoken to and asked questions as to why it had to take away a loved one. Whichever approach people choose to deal with death, it always remains silent, unresponsive and in a way asking the bereaved to remain peaceful. The loss of a partner leaves one the good memories of the deceased, a remembrance of the impact that the departed soul had on the lives of those who remain behind.

“He was a good person. I always said if he were a dog, he wouldn’t scratch a flea off his back” (Keller, Loretta). That is how Loretta Keller fondly speaks of her late husband Arthur Keller. But that is not all, the man described as good and harmless also had a share of the rough side of life before he died of cancer on the 6th of March, 2002. Arthur had those bad experiences before he married his fourth and last wife, Loretta. From a family with a strict and domineering mother to unpleasant encounters with three women as wives, the life of Arthur Keller was highly valued by those who knew him intimately like Loretta. This essay describes Arthur as narrated to me by his wife.

Arthur also known as “Art” was born and bred in Springfield New Jersey. His parents came from Germany and settled in the United States. Loretta met Arthur at the house of her mother’s female friend. Arthur went there to take dancing lessons. The friend to Loretta’s mother had requested Loretta to be present in the house that evening since a male client would come for dancing classes. When Arthur knocked at the door, Loretta was alone downstairs and had to open the for him. Little did Loretta realize that she was about to open a new chapter in her love life. The person who stood at the door was to be her future husband, friend, companion and lover. “I looked at him I was like . ., oh my God. What a good-looking guy” recalls Loretta. The attractive man Loretta saw had long blond hair, and his whole body was “tan tan” as described by Loretta. She watched Arthur’s first dancing lesson and what Loretta recalls is laughing harder than ever before because Arthur could not “dance his way out of a paper bag” (Keller, Loretta).

Loretta still recalls the childhood stories that Arthur used to tell her. She remembers the story about all family members in Arthur’s home having to take a bath in the same water as per their mother’s instructions. Another memorable story that Arthur told Loretta was about Arthur and his siblings being sent back home from school because they had a body odor. Another interesting aspect of the story is that Arthur’s mother beat the children up for telling the school that they bathed once a week and used the same bathing water.

Besides the hilarious childhood stories, the story of Arthur, if it were to be put down in a book, would have a whole chapter dedicated to defining his personality. Arthur was a good person, he had a motto: “For whatever problem, here was always a solution” (qtd by Keller, Loretta). Arthur’s wife cannot recall any time in their life together when Arthur engaged in any arguments. His romantic, accommodating, adventurous, pleasing and practical nature caused Loretta to fall deeply in love and to share the most profound emotions with Arthur.

Arthur and Loretta’s marriage date will forever remain Loretta’s memories. It was on Friday 13th, 1976 when the two decided to formalize their marriage after staying together for four years. The vows were exchanged at the Lutheran church with 20 witnesses including Loretta’s son who was 12 years old at that time. Their marriage was full of fun and love, Arthur enjoyed watching movies, and one of the films that they saw together was “The Godfather.”

Loretta told me that there was an age difference of 17 years between them, however, that did not deter them from enjoying each other’s company to the fullest as a couple.

Loretta believes that Arthur was very good to people and only fell a victim of his kindness during his commitment to the first three women he married before Loretta. As recalled by Loretta, Arthur sought to learn dancing skills as a means of getting over the depression he had over a failed marriage. Loretta told me that Arthur gave everything to his third wife so he could get rid of her because he had frustrated him in the marriage. In fact, Arthur told Loretta that he was planning to kill himself before he met her. That is why Loretta became his companion to the dances, the movies and all other activities of life until death took him away. When a loved one passes away, they only depart physically but their memories and spirit live along. That has been demonstrated by Loretta in her account of Arthur’s life.

Work Cited

Keller, Loretta. Personal Interview. 25 April 2014.