Devoted elderly couple who were married for 70 YEARS die just four minutes apart

An elderly couple who spent 70 years of their lives as a married couple have died just four minutes apart.

WW2 here Wilf Russell passed away aged 93 at the Magna Care Home in Wigston at 6.50am on March 29.

His 91-year-old wife Vera died four minutes later at 6.54am at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, situated three miles away from her husband.

Wilf, who fought in Italy and North Africa with the RAF, moved into the care home after he was diagnosed with dementia last year.

Vera’s health quickly began to deteriorate after her husband became unable to recognise her during visits, according to relatives of the devoted couple.

She was admitted to hospital in January and died without knowing her husband had died a few moments earlier.

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Granddaughter Stephanie Welch, 44, said: “My granddad was diagnosed with dementia a year ago and he had to go into the care home a couple of months back.

“My nan went to see him recently and he didn’t recognise her at all, her health started deteriorating from that day.

“I went to visit her at Leicester Royal Infirmary and she opened her eyes and asked me where Wilf was.

“The last thing she said to me was: ‘We’re a right pair, aren’t we?’

“He died at 6.50am and she died at 6.54am without being told about Wilf.”

Mrs Welch added: “I think she was waiting for him to go. She was broken-hearted.”

The childhood sweethearts were just 16 and 18 when they got engaged before they got married after the war on September 5, 1945.

Top pic: SWNS