The widow of any person who actually served as a soldier or sailor in the army or navy of the Confederate States of America or of the State of Alabama for or during the period of the War Between the States, who was married to such soldier or sailor prior to January 1, 1904, or was married to such soldier or sailor for at least one year prior to the time of his death, regardless of whether his death occurred before or after September 23, 1919, and who has not remarried, except as provided in Section 31-8-3, and who was not at the time of her husband’s death separated from him by divorce or was not voluntarily living apart from her husband during the period of one year prior to his death, and whose husband did not desert the service of the State of Alabama or the Confederate states, and who is an actual bona fide resident of Alabama and has been such for a period of five years prior to the filing of the application, and the widow of any Confederate soldier or sailor on the pension roll at the time of his death, shall be entitled to relief under the provisions of this chapter.