On a dreary Tuesday afternoon, Richard and Veronica Sheehan decided to take a stroll through Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco.
They didn’t mind the colorless sky or the chilly spring temperatures. Their grandson was recently buried there, and they wanted to stop and see him before meandering over to the daffodils along the hillside.
They walked down toward the river to overlook the sea of spring color. With the sun blanketed by clouds, many of the flowers chose instead to bow their heads toward the soil. Still, it was a sight to behold, so the duo stopped briefly to take in the spectacular view before continuing onward once more.
At each passing vehicle, Richard would lovingly take hold of Veronica's arm and pull her close.The two of them laughed and smiled in their private endeavors as the trees danced around them slowly.
Veronica was born and raised in Saco, but Richard considers himself a transplant although he’s lived in the area for more than 50 years. They first met at Webber Hospital in Biddeford — known today as Southern Maine Medical Center — where they worked as nurses in the operating room.
When asked which one of them made the first move, they both bursted out into laughter.
“Oh, I don’t know, it was so long ago!” Veronica said. “But I think I found him charming and I made an effort to tell him I liked him first.”
“Well,” Richard said amid a fit of laughter, “I don’t know what it was that she found charming about me, but whatever it was, it worked! We married in 1965 and have been together ever since.”
Their secret to a good marriage? Simply to be good to one another.
“It’s not worth arguing about things,” Richard said with a serious tone before bursting out into laughter again and saying, “I just go along with what she says.”
“Oh my goodness,” Veronica chuckled, pushing Richard playfully before saying, “We do get along really well though. We like spending time together.”
“We really, really do,” agreed Richard. “We especially love to go on walks here at Laurel Hill.”
“Yes, it’s a beautiful cemetery,” said Veronica. “And when the flowers are out… Well, it’s worth coming every single day to see them before they're gone.”
