Prologue
This isn’t just another memoir. It’s a survival guide wrapped in an unforgettable story. Bobbie’s journey through three marriages, two funerals, and a divorce offers valuable insights on starting over. Her story shows that life’s most devastating chapters can become its most powerful turning points.
Her first marriage pulled her into the shadowy world of organized crime, where she insisted that dinner guests check their firearms at the door. Bobbie recalls one night when Tony was away on “business,” and a violent storm covered the area. Lightning wasn’t the only thing that struck; a gunshot echoed through the thunder, and by dawn, Tony’s prized quarter horse was found dead in its stall, shot execution-style between the eyes. At daybreak, the terrified ranch hand delivered the devastating news. The morning headlines told the story she’d been fearing.
Years later, after losing her first husband, Bobbie surprised everyone by falling deeply in love with Danny, a man ten years her junior who still got carded at restaurants. Their life was filled with ski trips, family vacations, and home parties without the worries of their friends needing a background check. Eventually, their marriage gradually unraveled when his wandering eye proved stronger than their wedding vows, leading to an inevitable but amicable parting of ways.
The core of the story centers on Bobbie’s third husband and true soulmate. Clayton, the methodical engineer, fell in love with a free-spirited former go-go dancer and entertainer. While he was calibrating his 3D milling machines, she was memorizing lines for a stage role or a local television commercial. They were living proof that opposites don’t just attract; they can create something extraordinary until death tore them apart.
But here’s what makes this book revolutionary: it’s not just Bobbie’s story. There are also the voices of fellow survivors, widows, and widowers who share their raw, honest journeys through grief and into new beginnings. Their collective wisdom and diverse perspectives help guide others to find new paths.
The practical guidance addresses the questions that keep you awake at 3 AM:
- To Date or Not to Date: When your heart is ready, but your mind isn’t sure
- Eliminating Skeletons: The emotional archaeology of cleaning out a shared life
- Taking Care of Business: Navigating the legal maze when you can barely navigate grief
This is more than a memoir; it’s a masterclass in resilience. With unflinching honesty and unexpected humor, it reveals how life’s most devastating endings can become your most powerful new beginnings. Whether you’re facing loss, supporting someone who is, or simply wondering how people survive the unthinkable, this book will change how you see both heartbreak and hope with a touch of humor.
“Widowhood: The Next Chapter, I’m Still Here-Now What?” is a perfect gift for anyone ready to discover that starting over isn’t just possible, it’s where the best chapter begins.