A husband and wife, both 100 years old and married for nearly eight decades, died holding hands within hours of each other.
Hubert and June Malicote met at Church of God in Hamilton, Ohio, in 1941 and were married two years later.
The husband and wife died 20 hours apart on November 30 and December 1, respectively, at Hamilton Hospice.
“Hubert preceded June in death by only hours, marking the end of their 81-year love story,” his obituary reads, reports Metro.
The Malicotes celebrated Thanksgiving the day before the holidays with a family-friendly pizza party. Their son, Sam Malicote, 76, told the Dayton Daily News that “everything was fine.”
But that night, June fell ill and her daughter, Jo Malicote, 70, took her into hospice care. Hubert visited his wife the Friday after Thanksgiving and “broke down,” according to Sam.
‘He fell apart really,’ Sam said, reports Metro.
Hubert was also hospitalized, in the same room as June, and both lost consciousness. Their hands were joined.
None regained consciousness. Hubert died at 9:15 p.m. and June followed at 5:40 p.m. Hubert died of a “broken heart,” Sam said.
“They went out together,” the couple’s son said, reports Metro.
Hubert enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942 and served in World War II at Pearl Harbor. On his second leave of service, not knowing if or when he would return home, he married June. Hubert returned home after the war and worked for Diebold Inc as a shop supervisor until his retirement in 1990.
The couple celebrated their 79th wedding anniversary earlier this year. June turned 100 on July 13, and her husband did so 10 days later.
The couple left behind three children: Jo, Sam and Theresa McBride, 68, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
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