In the past I’ve always thought it was important to give my loved one as good a casket as possible, spending a lot of money in the process.

I’m beginning to rethink that policy as I have read about the plain plywood coffin made for Ruth Graham, along with one made for her husband when he leaves this life.

The coffins were made by hand by prisoners in Louisiana for themselves and other prisoners whose families wouldn’t be able to afford something more luxurious.

The lining is foam covered with cloth.

Shortly before he died, convicted murderer Richard Liggett was asked to make two of the simple plywood coffins he meticulously crafted for fellow prisoners. Except the caskets would be for Billy and Ruth Graham.

“He was honored,” said Burl Cain, warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary. “He told me, of everything that ever happened in his life, the most profound thing was to build this coffin for Billy Graham and his family.”

Ruth Graham was buried in one Sunday at the foot of a cross-shaped walkway in the Prayer Garden at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte.

Since the body is only the shell left behind when a person dies I have realized trying to make the body “comfortable” is something I have done for myself as those who are in those coffins feel nothing. Their souls have left the body, and it is the soul that is the person.

One day the soul will be reunited with a glorified version of the old body.

When my beloved neighbor died in March I marveled at the beauty of the coffin bought for her.

When I saw the coffin of Ruth Graham on television the other day I thought it was a very nice and expensive coffin, and almost remarked on how beautiful it was except I didn’t want to miss hearing what was being said.

I was very surprised to learn it was made of plywood, and now want to check into purchasing such a coffin for myself and my husband for when our souls depart our bodies.

The problem is I won’t be able to store them anywhere so I need to check and see if the local funeral home can get these when needed.

Let the money that would be spent on a fancy coffin go to someone alive and who needs that money in order to better his or her life.