2. Thomas Wingate, a movie extra at Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe, NM, takes his horse, RC, out for a ride on Wed., March 10. Wingate, a North Carolina native, said that the horse is named after RC Cola and Moonpies.

3. Partners Vicky Collard (front) and Kimberly Sutich (back) ride with the Triangle Riders & Motorcycles group during the 2004 NC Pride parade on Sat., October 2 in Durham. This year marked the 20th anniversary for NC Pride.

4. Kristin Bass, 7, attends the campus rally for Senate candidate Richard Burr on Wed., October 27, with her father Ralph. Ralph, whose wife is a Democrat, said that Kristin made up her own mind to support Burr.

5. John Fowler, 67, was taken to the hospital Fri., October 1 after he fell and knocked himself unconscious competing in the NC Senior Games 100 meter dash at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh. Fowler regained consciousness shortly after falling and was taken as a precautionary measure.

6. Tim McKinnish, owner and operator of Raleigh-based Faithful Friends, cremates about 200 pets each month. He has no feeling in his fingertips because the bones come out of the crematory at several hundred degrees. This machine will grind the bones into ash.

7. Bill Stanford, 90, and WT Willis, 88, compete in the 100 meter dash at the NC Senior Games on Sat., October 2 in Raleigh. Stanford and Willis have run together for the past 15 years.

8. The Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus, directed by Dwayne Holloway, performs a rendition of Amazing Grace at NC Pridefest 2004 on Sat., October 2.

9. Georgia Martin, of Apex, NC, reacts as Senate candidate Erskine Bowles gives his concession speech to Richard Burr at the Democratic headquarters in Raleigh, NC on election night. Bowles announced that he would not run for elective office again.

10. Rainbow Soccer players (L-R) Bradley Lin, 4, Sam Hackett, 4, and Spencer Barbera, 4, fight for the ball as Yaniv Kaniel, 4, and Grayson Clements, 3, look on. The Crackerjacks, in burgundy, and the Chickadees, in green, played Sat., March 20. No score was kept due to the young age of the players.

11. Wade MacDonald met Barbara Anderson, who was 13 years his junior, over 50 years ago in Colorado. In 1998, Barbara discovered that her sight in one eye was much worse than the other. Her doctor diagnosed her with ocular melanoma. At the end of July 2003, doctors found that the melanoma had recurred and metastasized into softball-sized tumors on her liver. On Aug. 26, 2003, Barbara died after a quick, but steady decline. Dec. 22 would have been Wade and Barbara’s 50th wedding anniversary.

12. Wade, 86, has continued to live on his own in the house that he and Barbara built together in the 1950s, and has taken over household chores that Barbara used to take care of. Here, he collects his laundry - he and Barbara never bought a dryer.

13. Working outside has always been a big part of Wade's life as he grew up in rural North Carolina. His father had a degree in agriculture, taught at the local high school, and introduced Wade to the garden. This year Wade has expanded his backyard garden, even though he is the only one in the house. He said it gives him something to do, and he likes to plant things that will be here after he is gone.

14. Wade played doubles with fellow Hollow Rock member Bob Graper on April 16 and won 6-4, 6-3, beating a doubles team from Hope Valley. He has been playing since he was six and has won numerous state and national awards. He likes to wear his white Nike dri-fit shorts because it was one of the last gifts that Barbara gave to him.

15. Family has always played an important role in Wade's life, but his family has made an increasing effort to involve Wade since Barbara died. Wade's middle son, Roy, gives him a hug and tells him, "I love you," after eating Easter lunch. Before the meal, Wade prayed and thanked God for his "fine sons, their wives, six grandchildren, and Mimi."

16. Wade rests at the table after eating lunch with his family. When he doesn't have to cook for himself, he's content to let others do the work. Wade freely admits to missing Barbara, but he tries to keep himself busy. He said, "When it's my time to go. I'll have no regrets. I had Barbara for over 50 years, and I've got a fine family and fine grandchildren."

17. Wade and Roy's wife, Katy, get the table ready for dinner. She and Roy stopped by to eat with him. Pictures of his family and letters from his grandchildren hang on the refrigerator as an everpresent reminder that his family loves him. As Wade puts it, "You know, as you get old like me, you realize that family is really what matters."

18. Leland, 7, is Wade's youngest granddaughter. Since Barbara died she has started coming over for dinner once a week after school. Wade always prepares a menu for her and lets her pick what they fix. She gets the drinks ready for dinner, while Wade gets out a plate for hot biscuits.

19. After being outside, Wade rests inside. Barbara's jewelry and perfume bottles that Wade bartered for in France during World War II have remained on her dresser since she died; they have started to collect dust since Wade doesn’t like to do house chores. He stands in the background carrying his hat and looking at a picture of Barbara when she was young.

20. Wade makes his bed every morning. He said, "My Uncle Ash, he lived until he was 102, made his bed everyday, so I figure I can too." Barbara decorated the room pink, but Wade said that he never really thought about having a pink bedroom. "I told her she could do whatever she wanted to do."