Once a formidable middle school principal, he had a series of strokes over the last few years. The last one, in March, stole the 92-year-old’s final vestiges of independence, trapping him in bed and robbing him of his once clear and confident voice. But Virginia, his wife of 65 years, was in relatively good physical health. It was her mind that was losing ground to Alzheimer’s disease. But even as her past and future faded around her, Aurlo remained at the heart of her life, crystal clear.

In hindsight, says their family, it makes sense that on June 11, 2008, when Virginia died, Aurlo was there to watch over her, just as he always had. And, though no one expected it at the time, it also made sense that just eight days after Virginia passed, after Aurlo had laid her to rest and done all the last things he could for her, ...