An eight-year-old couple in Ohio who had just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary died with COVID-19, a few minutes apart while holding hands.
According to family members, Dick and Shirley Meek, aged 89 and 87, dropped their guard to celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary on December 22nd.
According to Vicki Harper, one of their daughters, they were admitted to a Columbus hospital on January 8 where they tested positive for the coronavirus.
They passed away on January 16 together. Shirley died first, a few minutes later by Dick. The couple never stopped holding hands.
Their deaths came just three days before they were to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, family members said.
Dick and Shirley Meek, 89 and 87 years old, died on January 16 in a Columbus hospital after celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
The couple died within minutes while holding hands
The couple were eventually separated in rooms on different floors of the hospital and their conditions began to decline rapidly, Harper told WBNS.
‘We asked [the hospital staff] for them to be together and they absolutely said, ‘Harper said.
Daughter Debbie Howell told the outlet that Shirley Meek died first while the couple’s favorite song, When the River Meets the Sea by John Denver, was playing in the background.
“The nurse put mom’s head on my dad’s shoulder and said to dad, ‘Dick, it’s OK to let go now. Shirley is waiting for you ‘and he’s over in a few minutes,’ she says.
The Meeks both had to get their coronavirus vaccine a few days later.
Family members said the Meeks were childhood loves that had built up a ‘legacy of love’.
Family members said their story during the pandemic should be a warning to others
In an obituary posted to the Fischer Funeral Home, family members wrote that the couple had a ‘love story for ages’.
“They had a fairytale ending. Our hearts are shattered, but we are at peace knowing that they will be together forever, ‘reads the obituary.
Family members said the Meeks were love lovers who built a legacy of love for their five children, 13 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
“They were a life of adventure – from scuba diving to zippering, their Bucket List was incredible!” the obituary reads.
Family members said the couple had made time for daily appointments and a 15:00 toast to each other throughout their lives.
Family members said the Meeks lived a life of adventure and traveled the world
Family members said the Meeks had a wild bucket list of adventures, including skydiving and zippering
‘We are devastated to lose both at the same time. But we are blessed that they walked together, hand in hand, through the Gates of heaven to eternity, ‘reads the obituary.
Edwin Meek, who served as an Air Force sergeant during the Korean War, was born in Coshocton and would have turned 90 on Tuesday.
His children described him as a skilled carpenter who regularly made gifts for family and friends by hand.
“He was a romantic by nature and always put others before himself,” reads the obituary.
Shirley Meek, described as ‘the reservations’, was a homemaker and quietly donated to charities every month.
“She was an avid shopper and liked to dress up for every occasion, and her sense of style was admired by everyone,” reads the obituary.
Family members requested that donations instead of flowers to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Wounded Warrior Project or the Alzheimer’s Association.
“COVID has taken their lives from us, so we beg you all to be safe,” the family said.
