Ohio Couple Die Hours Apart Holding Hands after 79 Years of Happy Marriage: 'They Went Out Together'

After almost eight decades of an utterly happy marriage, Hubert and June Malicote, both 100, peacefully passed away hand in hand just hours apart. They didn't let death tear them apart and left for eternity together.

An Ohio couple married for 79 years couldn't bear the thought of living without one another. Their love was so strong that when one of them fell ill one day, the other couldn't take it and somehow fell sick.

Hubert and June Malicote spent most of their lives together, having been married since they were 21. They lived long and happy lives and devoted their time to their faith and family.

The Start of an Everlasting Love

Their love story began in the winter of 1942 when Hubert enlisted in the navy during World War II. Because of his deployment, Hubert would only see June during his 13-day leaves. On his second 13-day leave in 1943, he realized he didn't know when—or if–he would ever return from the war, so they decided to get married.

Since then, Hubert and June had been inseparable. After World War II, Hubert lived a quiet life working in a corporate setting until retiring in 1990.

Together the couple shared three children named Sam, Jo, and Theresa. They also have seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

The Secret to Their Lasting Marriage

In the summer of 2022, June and Hubert celebrated their 100th birthdays and their 79th year as a married couple. As they reflected on their everlasting love for one another then, they shared that the secret to their strong marriage was avoiding arguments. Their daughter also recounted how her parents would hold hands and say goodnight to each other every day.

Hubert always believed that he was incomplete without June. Looking back, he acknowledged the wonderful life they lived as husband and wife, noting:

"It's kind of like if we aren't together, the team is broken."

A Sudden Trip to the Hospice

With both Hubert and June in the winter of their lives, their children tried to spend as much time with them as they could. The day before Thanksgiving, the lovely couple hosted a pizza dinner for their entire family.

According to their son Sam, although his mom's health had been deteriorating for several years, she was still doing fine, and everything was going well during the dinner.

As soon as Hubert saw June in the hospice, he broke down and his health deteriorated.

However, that night, his mom suddenly fell ill. Sam's sister, Jo, who lived across the street from their parents, called the nearby hospice, and June was transferred there to receive proper care.

Thanksgiving turned quiet for the entire family, as they were worried about June being in hospice. The day after Thanksgiving, Hubert visited his wife, and it was then that Sam realized just how much love his dad had for his mother.

As soon as Hubert saw June in the hospice, he broke down, and his health deteriorated. When he realized his beloved wife wasn't going to get better, "he went from 100 to zero in the span of three days," his daughter said. "He fell apart, really," Sam added.

He Died of a Broken Heart

Because his condition suddenly worsened, Hubert was admitted into the hospice and shared a room with his wife. The nurses pushed two beds together, so they didn't have to be apart, with their hands placed on top of one another. They remained unconscious for days until their deaths.

Just five days after being admitted, on November 30, Hubert died at 9:15 p.m. By 5:40 p.m. on December 1, June passed away peacefully and followed her husband into the afterlife.

Hubert's children believe he died of a broken heart. "He wasn't going to let her go alone. He lined up to be with her," their daughter said of his sudden death.

Their children confirmed that when Hubert died, he and June were hand-in-hand. Then, after speaking to their mom and giving her permission to be with their dad hours later, June passed on to be with him.

Grieving for the loss of a parent is never easy for a child, let alone two parents at the same time. However, Hubert and June's children find comfort in knowing their parents will now be together for all eternity.

True love is hard to come by nowadays, but for June and Hubert, they had it easy. They knew their love for one another was everlasting, and they proved that to everyone until the very end.

Click here to read the story of a couple known to be the world's oldest, 79 years after they ran away from their families to marry in secret.