GALION – Crosses carry a special meaning for Mary Butterfield.
From the first one her late husband gave her on their 25th wedding anniversary, to the dozens she has collected since, they are symbols of her Catholic faith. Promises of hope during this Lenten season. And keepsakes to cherish for years to come.
So special that she has a “Wall of Crosses.”
“Each one is different, but they all take you back to Christ and who you are,” said Mary, a longtime member of Galion’s St. Joseph Catholic Church. “I guess they do have stories to tell. They’re all one thing, they’re all crosses, but they’re all different.”
From simple to ornate, crosses in all sizes and materials decorate every room of her home, primarily the “big green wall.” They bring back memories, especially of her husband, Jim. He gave her the showpiece – a large tin cross comprised of 13 smaller ones – 12 years ago.
“And we just started collecting them,” Mary said matter-of-factly. “Some we picked up on vacation. One we picked up when we were in Costa Rica. One or two are from his trips to Italy. He was always trying to get me something different as a gift.”
Jim was only 71 when he died Feb. 7 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. But the crosses he added to her collection over the years were always precious. One is made of seashells since the two often traveled to beaches. Another is simply carved out of unfinished wood.
Many are crucifixes, one of which is inscribed with “The Lord’s Prayer.” There’s a traditional Celtic cross with its ringed design, one made of stained glass with a dove, one crafted of recycled materials, and another of wood and metal Fleur-de-lis motif that their son Jacob brought back from New Orleans.
The oldest though is known as a sick-call cross, which the couple bought shortly after their marriage 37 years ago. The crucifix, which comes apart, has a hidden compartment to store two candles and a small bottle of holy water used by a priest to administer the Anointing of the Sick ritual, or “Last Rites.”
Jim, who owned Butterfield Plumbing & Heating in Galion for more than 30 years, was never seen without his 14K gold cross necklace. On a trip to Israel in 2001, he found Mary a cross pendant with a piece of glass in the center said to be from 2 B.C. She now wears both chains around her neck.
It only seems “fitting” that the newest addition to the display is also very cherished. Since Jim was a pipefitter by trade, Mary’s co-workers at Covert Manufacturing surprised her after the funeral service with a cross they designed using pipe wrenches as the arms and stem.
Although son Jacob lives in Colorado, daughter Emily Butterfield is still at home. The family, Mary said, is slowly adjusting to a “new normal.” In the mornings though, she often sits in front of the “Wall,” reflecting on the sacrifice Christ made for us and remembering the journey she and her husband shared.
“The crosses were meant to cover up a big green wall, but they’ve become more than that,” Mary said. “They definitely give me comfort because it’s something that Jim and I did together and a lot of them were gifts from him. And the one my co-workers gave me is simply priceless.”