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Jerry Springer Gravesite Unveiled ... Wife's Burial Plot Ready Next to His

Jerry Springer's gravesite can now be seen for the first time ... and right off the bat, you might notice an adjacent plot for his wife -- although she's still very much alive.

TMZ has obtained photos of the late talk show host's final resting place -- which marks where he was buried a little over a week ago in a Chicago suburb. As you see, it's a relatively modest scene, with a large headstone and bench with his surname, "SPRINGER."

There's a separate slab with his first and middle name inscribed -- Gerald Norman. Right next to that is another space with a different headstone designated for Margaret 'Micki' Velton ... his wife of nearly 50 years.

We're calling Micki his wife because -- as sources with direct knowledge have explained to us -- all the reports of them having divorced in the '90s are complete BS. We're told they were never apart, and there weren't any marital issues as had been widely speculated.

As for why Micki's been labeled his ex-wife all these years without any correction from Jerry -- our sources say he was a very private person and didn't feel the need to address it publicly. In other words, they've been together as man and wife this whole time.

Now that that's cleared up ... let us clear up another thing in light of Micki's own headstone already being in the ground next to Jerry's -- there's nothing looming ... she's fine.

There's a larger 'SPRINGER' headstone that covers both plots -- the whole space is marked for Jerry and Micki. So, in other words ... he's just waiting for her.

As we reported, there are plans in place for a much larger public service/celebration of life on June 9 at a Memorial Hall in downtown Cincinnati. We're told organizers are anticipating a big turnout ... and they're planning to let around 500 people inside the venue.

Jerry died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, which he kept under wraps.

Jerry was 79. RIP

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