DEAR ABBY: I just finished reading the letter from "J.H. in Yonkers," who fell in love on a trip to a friend's funeral. I agree with you, Abby, it's a great story. Mine is similar.
I dated Mike for 2 1/2 years and then we broke up. For eight months I couldn't forget him. On a whim, I called his mom during one of the many Midwestern blizzards of 1979. She told me her mother had died and the visitation was the next night. I made it through the snowdrifts to the visitation -- the only non-family member because of the weather. Mike invited me to the house afterward.
The next day, I met him in the church parking lot, where he told me guiltily he had whistled all the way to his grandmother's funeral because he knew I'd be there! We knew we were meant to be together and we were convinced his grandmother had a hand in it.
If we can believe that there are pennies from heaven, we can believe someone was looking out for J.H. and her love. Mike and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary in a few months. -- RUTH IN ROCK ISLAND, ILL.
DEAR RUTH: Your letter gave me goose bumps. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: My parents met at a funeral 80 years ago. My mother, who always hated funerals, went because the deceased had been a close friend of her mother's. After the service, Mom was very impressed by a tall, handsome, older man she met. The rest is history. -- ESTHER IN KENMORE, N.Y.
DEAR ESTHER: Which proves that sometimes an ending can also be a beginning.
DEAR ABBY: In 1997, I met the love of my life at a funeral of a mutual friend who had been murdered. I was only 16. My love and I were married a year later.
From that horrible tragedy was born a friendship and love that has weathered almost every possible obstacle one can imagine in a marriage. Out of sadness came joy and love. From a tragic death was born a loving and giving life -- our daughter. -- PEGGI IN PENNSAUKEN, N.J.
DEAR PEGGI: That kind of tragedy can make the survivors grow up very quickly.
DEAR ABBY: My father died on Dec. 19 the year I turned 20. My mother was only 48, and I had four younger brothers and sisters. Our family was devastated that Christmas. All the neighbors knew about it and were very nice to us.
A girl up the street invited my two sisters and me to her birthday party on Jan. 11. She said if we didn't come, she would come and get us.
The girl who was giving the party had a younger brother, who had asked his best friend, "Jim," to the party. Jim and I started dating that week. We knew by summer that we would marry and were engaged the next year. On Oct. 22, we celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary.
When people ask how we met, I am not reluctant to tell them. I had never dated anyone before I met Jim -- so I say that Jim was sent from heaven. -- MAUREEN IN TORONTO
DEAR MAUREEN: And I believe it.
DEAR ABBY: I met a wonderful woman, who later became my wife, at her grandmother's funeral. I knew her parents, but she and I had never met before. We became friends and went out casually at first. Then we started dating. We were married last Nov. 5. When anyone asks how we met, we tell them her grandmother set us up. Which is true, in a way. -- DAVID IN COMER, GA.
DEAR DAVID: I wish you both a long and happy life together.