Inseparable couple married for 70 years die within moments of each other
An inseparable couple married for 70 years have passed away within minutes of each other.
Les and Freda Austin, from the US state of Michigan, married in 1949 after being introduced by friends as teenagers at their school formal.
The couple lived a modest life, with Mrs Austin managing a dry cleaning store and Mr Austin working as a police officer and serving in the air force.
Together they raised two children, Sandra Maes and Michael Austin, and their four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren made their family complete.
Mr and Mrs Austin, both aged 90, died a day after they were moved into hospice care on December 6.
They were surrounded by family when Mr Austin passed away, and it was just 20 minutes later that Mrs Austin took her last breath while in a bed with her husband.
The couple’s children described the moment as “romantic”, telling local publication Michigan Live that as they passed, their heads fell in the direction of each other.
"If they had to go, this way was about as romantic as you could get," their son told the publication.
The family said even though losing both of their parents so close had been hard on the family, it would have “been torture for either of them to be here alone”.
"They did everything together. They didn't stop with death," their daughter said.
According to an obituary to the couple, they enjoyed travelling to different lighthouses together.
Their obituary described Mrs Austin as an “impeccable homemaker” who loved cooking, while Mr Austin was passionate about western movies and collecting John Wayne memorabilia.
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