Widow Puts Ashes In Bottle With $2 And A Note

A Tennessee man’s ashes in a bottle are doing in death what he loved to do in life — travel the world, and wind up in interesting places.

The ashes in a bottle were sent adrift by Beverly Smith, whose husband Gordon Scott Smith died of a sudden brain hemorrhage at 57.

Beverly and Gordon were married for nearly three decades, and she considered his love of travel when making his final arrangements after he died unexpectedly.

And she did what any widow might do, honoring his favorite pursuits in life by translating them to his final resting place — or places.

Not only have the ashes in a bottle traveled far and wide since Beverly threw them into the surf off Big Pine Key in Florida in March of last year, but Gordon has met some interesting folks who have helped him on his posthumous journey.

In the bottle, the widow placed not only Smith’s ashes, but a note requesting a phone call and $2 to cover the costs — and soon enough, a man named Ross in Islamorada, Florida rang the woman:

“I called his wife to let her know where her husband was and she was so, so happy. She said the money was for a phone call to let her know where he was.”

Ross then sent Gordon back out to sea, six miles offshore in his boat.

Judi Glunz Sidney of Glunz Ocean Beach Hotel and Resort in Key Colony Beach found Gordon’s ashes in a bottle nearly 30 miles from where Ross set them, and the hotel’s Facebook page reports:

“Judi called the wife in Tennessee, who was excited to know of Gordon’s travels! Judi added her note. We put him in a rum bottle (you know, added a little fun to his trip) with the three notes. We added another $1 in case Gordon travels far and a long distance call is needed.”

Janet Glunz Bischoff, another owner, says of the finding:

“We think our mom, who died a few years ago, and Gordon are in cahoots in heaven on this one. They are both from Tennessee, they both loved they keys and spent all of February there each year, and they both drank bourbon.”

As of now, the ashes in a bottle are adrift, and you can read the Glunz hotel update over on Facebook.