The coffin

I am writing part of a eulogy for a 90 year-old mountain cattleman who died last week.
He is to be buried in a coffin made from a tree from his farm.
Here’s an edited version of what I wrote.
It’s a story worth sharing. (I’ve called him “Bill” just for this blog).
Sixteen years ago, when Bill was leaving his farm in the high country, he had a big birds-eye stringy-bark tree cut down. It was milled by his mate and made ready to be Bill’s coffin. 
 The magnificent coffin which you see before you is the result.
 It was made and has waited for Bill for 16 years.
 And now its purpose is fulfilled. 
 But fulfilled in an even better way than many of you would know, as the ashes of Bill’s loved wife, Dorothy, who passed away 13 years ago, have also waited, in the coffin, for Bill to join her.
 They are now together forever.