(a japanese proverb. originally, '男やもめに蛆がわき,女やもめに花が咲く(The widower breeds in a maggot and a flower blooms to the widow.)'. it means 'Widows can save money, but widowers can´t.)
If it's any consolation, its probably their love letters they've sent to one another over the years or something else that belonged to her, if not her ashes.