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In 1995, newly-widowed Kathy holds a memorial service for her husband Eddie at a Florida nude beach. She’s amazed how many family and friends join her. As the ceremony ends, a stranger approaches and tells her he’s now inspired to hold his own memorial there. He then encourages her to tell the story of her marriage. 

 

The story jumps back to 1980. Kathy Owens is a mid-20s career woman who’s recently returned to her hometown of Orlando. She’s looking to meet people, especially men. She learns about a social group named Mensa for people with high intelligence. She attends a July 4th barbecue hosted by Mensan Eddie Hardman and immediately falls for him. 

 

The two bond over their passion for cars and begin dating. They open up easily about their tough childhoods, their refusal to have children, and their mutual belief that people should be able to end their own lives as they wish, especially if they have a terminal illness.

 

Though Kathy is taken aback when she discovers Eddie is 17 years older, their relationship overcomes this roadblock, and they marry on July 4th, 1981. For the next 13 years, their life moves forward with love and joy, tempered with problems they mostly conquer. They make close friends, lead organizations and attain peace with their pasts. 

 

Then, on a long driving vacation in August, 1994, Eddie falls ill. Kathy’s gut tells her there’s something far worse wrong with him than the bad cold he claims. Back home, things at first return to normal. But over the next nine months, he changes rapidly, developing a snappish temperament, physical weakness, and major digestive problems. 

 

Kathy encourages Eddie to see a doctor, but he refuses. She considers trying to make him go to a psychiatrist, but knows he’ll say no. She becomes so overwhelmed that she toys with divorce. Friends and family push her to force him to see a doctor. When he finally does, he is diagnosed with advanced cancer that probably started in his pancreas and has spread to his liver, lungs and other organs. 

 

Eddie refuses treatment, but does accept hospice care and pain management. He states he will choose his own day to die. Even though Kathy agrees in theory, it’s hard for her to let him go. But she loves him and respects his wishes. In early August, 1995, Eddie self-administers enough pain medication to end his own life. Kathy’s distraught that this must remain a secret because “society” disapproves, making losing him even harder.

 

Kathy recovers with the support of family and close friends. She finds the new love Eddie has encouraged her to seek with their mutual friend, Danny V.