ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the experiences of women who have lost a spouse or long-term partner to death. Fourteen women participated in this qualitative research study and provided descriptive testimony of their experience of loss. These deaths usually commence a dramatic and significant change in one’s life compared to before the loss. Each woman responds to the loss of a spouse or longtime partner in her unique way and experiences the process of grieving, mourning, and coping on her own personal and unique timetable and trajectory. Five themes were discovered in examining data from their interviews. All losses took place more than five years before being interviewed for this research study, and many were considerably a longer time frame. The themes that emerged from the interview data were (1) anticipated loss, (2) unanticipated loss, (3) a new depth of compassion, (4) my strength grew over time, and (5) my view of myself changed.
