An old couple married for 56 years died within one MINUTE of each other.
When Donald Dix, 85, collapsed at his home in Cardiff his wife Rosemary, 76, dialled 999 for an ambulance. As her husband was driven off in the ambulance Rosemary then telephoned her daughter to tell her the bad news - but she was found dead with the phone still off the receiver.
Donald then tragically died in the ambulance at almost exactly the same time as his wife.
Daughter Jacqueline said yesterday: 'They didn't know how to live without each other. It seems as if they died at the same time.'
Devoted couple married for 56 years die within a MINUTE of each other
By Daily Mail Reporter
2nd February 2011
Daily Mail
A devoted couple married for 56 years died within a MINUTE of each other.
Donald Dix, 85, collapsed at home and wife Rosemary dialled 999 for an ambulance.
Shocked Rosemary, 76, called their daughter with the bad news as her husband was driven off - but she was found dead with the phone still off the receiver.
Devoted: Donald and Rosemary Dix had been married for 56 years when they died within minutes of each other
Tragically Donald died in the ambulance on the way to hospital at almost exactly the same time Rosemary died.
Daughter Jacqueline said yesterday: 'They didn't know how to live without each other.
It seems as if they died at the same time.'
It was love at first sight for Donald and Rosemary when they met at a dance in the early 1950s in Nottingham.
They courted for 18 months with Donald travelling by train from his home in Cardiff to meet Rosie halfway in Cheltenham.
Love at first sight: Donald and Rosemary met at a dance in the 1950s. Eighteen months later, in February 1955, they were married.
Steelworker Don and hairdresser Rosie wrote hundreds of letters to each other before getting married in February, 1955 in her home town of Radcliffe.
Shortly afterwards they moved to Cardiff where they raised their two daughters.
Over the last few months Don had become unwell with the flu and was confined to his home in Heath, Cardiff.
Jacqueline said: 'Mum's last words to me were: 'Your father has been rushed into hospital - you should come.'
'I drove down to the hospital but on my way I tried to ring mum to see if she had left.
'The line was engaged so I assumed she was on the phone to my sister, Deryl.
'When I got to the hospital, the doctors told me that my father had passed away but that mum wasn't there.
'I returned to the family home and that's when I saw my mum lying on the floor. The phone was off the receiver.
'It's a tremendous shock to lose them both at the same time.'
The family said it was a 'mercy' that neither knew the other had died - nor go through the pain of mourning at a funeral.
Other daughter Deryl said: 'My parents were inseparable. They did everything together - now their candles have both gone out together.'
The couple had a joint funeral at St German's Church in Splott, Cardiff and were buried together in Thornhill Cemetery.
Deryl said: 'We never imagined that we would say goodbye to them together.
'But it is a great comfort knowing that they didn't have to go through the pain of losing one another.
'Even in death they will never be apart.'
dailymail.co.uk
When Donald Dix, 85, collapsed at his home in Cardiff his wife Rosemary, 76, dialled 999 for an ambulance. As her husband was driven off in the ambulance Rosemary then telephoned her daughter to tell her the bad news - but she was found dead with the phone still off the receiver.
Donald then tragically died in the ambulance at almost exactly the same time as his wife.
Daughter Jacqueline said yesterday: 'They didn't know how to live without each other. It seems as if they died at the same time.'
Devoted couple married for 56 years die within a MINUTE of each other
By Daily Mail Reporter
2nd February 2011
Daily Mail
A devoted couple married for 56 years died within a MINUTE of each other.
Donald Dix, 85, collapsed at home and wife Rosemary dialled 999 for an ambulance.
Shocked Rosemary, 76, called their daughter with the bad news as her husband was driven off - but she was found dead with the phone still off the receiver.
Devoted: Donald and Rosemary Dix had been married for 56 years when they died within minutes of each other
Tragically Donald died in the ambulance on the way to hospital at almost exactly the same time Rosemary died.
Daughter Jacqueline said yesterday: 'They didn't know how to live without each other.
It seems as if they died at the same time.'
It was love at first sight for Donald and Rosemary when they met at a dance in the early 1950s in Nottingham.
They courted for 18 months with Donald travelling by train from his home in Cardiff to meet Rosie halfway in Cheltenham.
Love at first sight: Donald and Rosemary met at a dance in the 1950s. Eighteen months later, in February 1955, they were married.
Steelworker Don and hairdresser Rosie wrote hundreds of letters to each other before getting married in February, 1955 in her home town of Radcliffe.
Shortly afterwards they moved to Cardiff where they raised their two daughters.
Over the last few months Don had become unwell with the flu and was confined to his home in Heath, Cardiff.
Jacqueline said: 'Mum's last words to me were: 'Your father has been rushed into hospital - you should come.'
'I drove down to the hospital but on my way I tried to ring mum to see if she had left.
'The line was engaged so I assumed she was on the phone to my sister, Deryl.
'When I got to the hospital, the doctors told me that my father had passed away but that mum wasn't there.
'I returned to the family home and that's when I saw my mum lying on the floor. The phone was off the receiver.
'It's a tremendous shock to lose them both at the same time.'
The family said it was a 'mercy' that neither knew the other had died - nor go through the pain of mourning at a funeral.
Other daughter Deryl said: 'My parents were inseparable. They did everything together - now their candles have both gone out together.'
The couple had a joint funeral at St German's Church in Splott, Cardiff and were buried together in Thornhill Cemetery.
Deryl said: 'We never imagined that we would say goodbye to them together.
'But it is a great comfort knowing that they didn't have to go through the pain of losing one another.
'Even in death they will never be apart.'
dailymail.co.uk