“Till death do us part” took on a literal meaning for two high school sweethearts as they died just hours apart last week. Leonard and Hazel Cherry of Woodway, Texas were married nearly 75 years before they both died on October 27.
Leonard, 95, had been hospitalized for a while before his death and Hazel, who was still active at 93, had moved into an independent living facility just next door to his hospital.
The couple, who married in 1942, had just one son, who despite being devastated by losing both his parents in one day, says he takes comfort in knowing they are together now.
“I feel blessed that Daddy’s suffering is over and I feel blessed that Mom is with him and that she didn’t have to live alone,” their son, David Cherry, told KWTX.
Leonard died just before 1 p.m. and Hazel died later that day around 10 p.m.
The family say the two were still “deeply in love.” A memorial service is planned for Friday.
Long-time couples dying within days or even hours of each other seems to be a relatively common phenomenon. Just earlier this year we wrote about a couple of 58 years who died holding hands and a New Zealand couple, married nearly 70 years, who died just two hours apart.
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