If you go to a signing, but only one signer is in town, but the notarial wording includes his wife, then what? Its very unprofessional to leave any cross outs in your work. Its better to attach a new notary certificate with the name of the signer who you are notarizing. His wife can get another notary on another date or hour, wherever she is. The other notary can attach another certificate. Whether or not the document custodian will accept this mess is up to them -- but its legal.