Couple married for 68 years die within 72 hours of each other - after never spending a day apart

Brenda and Terrance Studd were married at 16 years old and spent a total of 68 devoted years together before they both died
A devoted couple died within 72 hours of each other after never spending a single day apart - in their 68 year marriage (SWNS)A devoted couple died within 72 hours of each other after never spending a single day apart - in their 68 year marriage (SWNS)
A devoted couple died within 72 hours of each other after never spending a single day apart - in their 68 year marriage (SWNS)

A couple married for almost 70 years died within 72 hours of each other after never spending a day apart throughout their happy time together.

Brenda and Terrance Studd met when they were only 15 in 1953 and said it was love at first sight.

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They were married at 16 and, over a total of 68 years, never spent a day without seeing each other.

And the only time Brenda and Terrance spent any nights apart was when he fell off a bucking bronco at the fair and was sent to hospital.

The devoted pair, from Loughborough, Leicestershire, died within three days of each other aged 83.

Great gran Brenda passed away after contracting Covid-19 on 27 September last year, and Terrance from pancreatic cancer on 30 September.

He never spoke again after hearing of his wife's death.

‘They couldn’t live without each other’

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Daughter Julie Mccluney 60, said: "Dad just gave up after mum died.

“They couldn’t live without each other.

“They were just childhood sweethearts that loved each other very very much.

“They were never never separate - only if they had to go to hospital.

“Dad had to be in hospital for three months to save his leg after falling off a bucking bronco at the fair when I was about 17.

“That’s the longest they were ever apart.

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“They were just happy and contented to love the simple things in life, like each other, dancing, eating out, opera and bingo."

Brenda told her family she fell in love with Terrance when she saw him playing in a band at school and "all the girls were after him".

She followed him to the shops a few days later, hoping to catch his eye, and it worked.

“Mum was beautiful," said care assistant Julie, a mum of six, also from Loughborough.

“She had been in loads of beauty contests.

“They were so in love."

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Terrance went part-time as a mechanic to support Brenda when she was diagnosed with MS after collapsing on a family camping trip to the Isle of Wight around 1970.

‘He never spoke again after she died’

Despite her failing health Brenda worked part-time as a dinner lady, in a shoe factory, and as a cleaner.

Terrance modified their car and caravan to carry Brenda’s wheelchair, and they moved into a specially designed bungalow when the children left home around 1980.

Terrance was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in June 2020.

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Then in September Brenda was rushed to hospital with sepsis, and tested positive for Covid-19.

Brenda died in hospital and three days later Terrance died at home.

Julie said: “When we told dad she had died he just held my brother Graham’s hand and cried.

“He never spoke again after that.

“Then they sent my mum’s hand print and dad died as I was holding it and sobbing."

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The couple, who had three kids, had a joint funeral on 5 November 2020, and their ashes were mixed together, and are due to be scattered in Skegness, where they loved to go on holiday.

“I’m over the moon that they are together," said Julie

“They were 83, met at 15 married at 16 and they brought each other the happiest life.

“They were a very lovely loving couple who gave us a fantastic life.”

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