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Wearing a wedding ring when widowed

(118 Posts)
mrsgreenfingers56 Thu 09-Oct-25 14:30:55

On recent post on "Ladies who lunch" one of the paragraphs was "9 years a widow, Marge still wears a ring".

I felt a bit shocked when my widowed friend told me she had taken her wedding ring off as her marriage had ended due to her husbands death. My mother and mother-in-law still wore their wedding rings in their widowhood. Nearly everyone I know still wears their wedding ring if widowed but of course each to their own as they say.

If a widow do you still wear your wedding ring?

RosieandherMaw Thu 09-Oct-25 17:34:34

Yes I do. And I have DH’s on my right hand (a bit bigger than mine)
He died 8 years ago.

Romola Thu 09-Oct-25 17:44:52

My DH died three years ago. We were married for 57 years and I intend to wear both wedding and engagement rings until I die.
Recently I spent quite a lot of money having the rings made bigger, as a touch of arthritis has enlarged the knuckle on that finger.
My DM kept her original wedding ring on after DF died. But she also wore one on that finger given to her by her late-life love, though they didn't marry, neither wanting the financial complications arising from a late second marriage.

tanith Thu 09-Oct-25 18:05:16

Ive been widowed 7yrs now and I don't wear my wedding ring. I've never liked jewellery so its safely put away with my late husbands ring but i never wear it.

Ladyripple Thu 09-Oct-25 18:10:20

Been a widow 28years and will never not my wedding ring.

GrannySomerset Thu 09-Oct-25 18:14:58

Yes, of course -I am still P’s wife even though he is no longer here. Sixty years of being together is part of who I am.

Grammaretto Thu 09-Oct-25 18:26:01

I don't wear mine. Like Midgey I rarely wore it when we were married. I am fond of it and like to know it's safely in its box but I hardly wear any jewellery because I am a potter and often have my hands in clay or water.

DH didn't wear a ring. I wore mine when I had young children in case people thought I wasn't married. 🤣😂 shock horror

Daddima Thu 09-Oct-25 19:13:55

I can’t imagine not wearing my rings, even though the Bodach has been dead for 5 years. I’ve had them on now for 54 years!

Magenta8 Thu 09-Oct-25 19:20:58

I had my wedding removed when I broke my left wrist. I have not worn it since. I don't wear any jewellery.

pably15 Thu 09-Oct-25 19:31:02

I always wear my wedding ring, been married 57 years, my husband always wears his too.

Grannmarie Thu 09-Oct-25 23:11:20

At the moment I am wearing both of our wedding rings on a heavy gold chain around my neck. Our rings were a matching pair, popular when we married 52 years ago. When I was widowed six months ago neither of us was wearing our rings because they had become pretty tight over the years.

Lovemylife Fri 10-Oct-25 08:04:04

My OH died very suddenly only a few weeks ago. Still struggling with the word ‘widow’ and have no intention of taking my ring off.

Magenta8 Fri 10-Oct-25 08:06:58

Lovemylife thanks

travelsafar Fri 10-Oct-25 08:13:49

Still wear mine as a widow of nearly 5 years. I'd feel strange without it. Sadly due to arthritis ....swelling of knuckle ....can't wear my engagement or eternity rings.

Mt61 Fri 10-Oct-25 09:02:52

I can’t ever see my mum ever taking off her wedding ring. She will wear hers until the day she dies.

TheWeirdoAgain60 Fri 10-Oct-25 09:09:37

I've never married, but if I did and were widowed, I'd still wear my wedding ring after he died. The marriage doesn't end when one partner passes over.

If our marriage were permanently unhappy, then I'd dump the ring, but if not, I'd wear it until I myself die.

Grannmarie Fri 10-Oct-25 10:01:52

Lovemylife

My OH died very suddenly only a few weeks ago. Still struggling with the word ‘widow’ and have no intention of taking my ring off.

Thinking of you, 💐.

Iam64 Fri 10-Oct-25 10:11:20

My husband bought me a ring, made by a silver jeweller, when my wedding ring no longer fit due to arthritis. It’s three years since he died, yes I wear the ring and still feel married to him

Pippa000 Fri 10-Oct-25 10:17:19

My husband died very suddenly 7 years ago and as I have never removed my wedding ring since my husband put it on my finger 54 years ago I have no intention of removing it now.

Elusivebutterfly Fri 10-Oct-25 10:18:14

I have been widowed for quite a long time and stopped wearing my wedding ring a year or so after being widowed. I stopped wearing any jewellery at all, just can't be bothered with putting it on. I stopped wearing makeup as well.

kircubbin2000 Fri 10-Oct-25 10:19:43

I took mine off when expecting my second child. I never wore it again as my husband led his own life and gave me no support.

Etep06 Fri 10-Oct-25 13:40:31

I have had to stop wearing my ring because of swollen knuckles. I am also a ninety year old widox

Etep06 Fri 10-Oct-25 13:41:13

Widow even

Angelafeet Fri 10-Oct-25 13:45:09

We celebrated 49 yrs yesterday and should the awful happen I cannot imagine taking off my ring…I’d still be married

Luckygirl3 Fri 10-Oct-25 13:46:45

I still wear mine. It is a beautiful plain very narrow court shape classic wedding ring, but embedded in it at equal intervals around the whole circle are 6 tiny rubies. He had it made for our ruby wedding. I couldn't take it off ...........

meddijess Fri 10-Oct-25 13:48:04

I wore my wedding ring for about 2 years after my first husband died. I was only in my early 40s, and just felt that it was time to take it off. I met my 2nd husband after 7 years of widowhood. I wouldn't be shocked or horrified if a widow decided not to wear her ring anymore as I think it's up to the individual.