Research has shown that older persons who have become widowed after many years of marriage maintain deep attachments to their deceased spouses. Case histories, observations and interviews were used to explore some aspects of the persistence of the marital tie after the first few years of mourning had passed. The major element in this tie was memory, which was often selective and sometimes distorted. Grief tended to persist in the form of denial, anger, and yearning. Social values and family feelings also tended to perpetuate the marital bond. The home shared by the couple was often the place which most strongly tied the widow(er) with the deceased. These ties tended to be positive and supportive and provided a nourishing link with the past. The findings suggest that such ties may enhance rather than interfere with the ability to establish new relationships; with a supportive network of family and friends, little or no professional help may be needed. (JAC)