Life has been a long and bumpy trail for Virginia Trimble Ritter. But the mother of slain Marcia Trimble, 9, who was found dead 32 years ago, tries to keep her spirits up despite her losses.

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Born in Robertson County, Va., she left home and school at 15, moved into her sister's home and worked behind a drug store's soda fountain.

She eventually finished high school and later moved to Nashville.

Virginia married Charles Trimble and they had two children, Charles and Marcia.

The sorrow of their young daughter's death played a role in the couple's divorce 12 years later. She turned her sorrow to religion; he turned his to the bottle. And strangely, just three days after their divorce, Charles Trimble died.

Virginia had to go to work to support herself and her son.

"You deal with what happens," she told me. "I had faith in God."

A few years ago, I introduced her to Frank Ritter, a highly respected reporter and columnist with The Tennessean newspaper, who was retired. Then, last year, there was a ray of sunshine: Virginia and Frank were married.

Barely home from their Florida honeymoon, Frank suffered a stroke. Since then, there have been several more strokes and seizures. The last one left Frank totally deaf. Virginia and Frank are now dealing with that together.

Sometime this month, they will put Nashville behind them and move to Adairville, Ky.

My best to both of my friends who deserved better out of life.