After over seven decades of marriage, during which they made it through World War II together and brought up a family of 10 children, Helen and Joe Auer died just over a day apart last Wednesday.
The Ohio couple married in 1941 and were together for 73 years.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, moments before Helen died peacefully at the age of 94, Joe kissed her goodbye and whispered in her ear: "Helen, call me home." Then, 28 hours later, Joe himself died at the age of 100.
The couple's funeral was held today at St Lawrence Church in Ohio, the same church where they got married.
Their 10 children were named Barry, Judy, Steve, Mary Jo, Jeanne, Karen, Tom, Chris, Jerry, and Bob. Bob sadly died from cancer seven years ago.
The children told the Cincinnati Enquirer that they believed their father could only survive one night without his wife.
When Helen fell pregnant for the second time, Joe was overseas fighting in World War II.
She decided to send him a photo of herself with their two youngest children, Barry and Judy. It was the first time Joe saw his second child: He kept that photo in his wallet for the rest of his life.
Their son Jerry told the paper: "It never left his wallet. It's still in there right now."
Their daughter Mary Jo Reiners also spoke lovingly of her parents.
"She loved her family and her friends," she said of her mother. "She loved being busy with her family."
Reiners said her father was dedicated to his faith, family, and the Earth.
"Dad thought of his children as a gift from God, that was a responsibility for him. He taught us to be servants to God and to be caretakers of his Earth. He was recycling on his last day."
Jerry said money was tight growing up in their home, and that Joe used to take two buses to his job and only bought his first car when he retired.
