A couple married for 71 years died of coronavirus five days apart – after they lay in hospital beds next to each other so they could hold hands.
Ron, 94, and Pat Wood, 91, passed away at Worthing Hospital, West Sussex after staff allowed them to stay in beds close together for their final days.
Ron contracted the virus first and was taken to hospital, shortly followed by wife Pat.
They were initially in separate male and female wards before hospital staff intervened.
Pat died in her sleep on May 18 and Ron passed away five days later.
Their only child, daughter Nikki Evans, said the hospital had been ‘brilliant’ in caring for her parents.
Ron, 94, and Pat Wood, 91, died of coronavirus just five days apart after spending their final days together holding hands in hospital
The couple had been in separate wards but were moved together and held hands before their deaths
Nikki said: ‘They put mum and dad in a four-bed bay, just the two of them, so they could hold hands for the last four days before Mum passed away in her sleep.
‘After Mum passed away on May 18, they cared for Dad compassionately in his last few days until he passed away on May 23.
‘Mum and Dad both had coronavirus and were in the COVID ward. He got COVID, came home, and we all got it.
‘They were originally in the male and female ward but Mum was very keen to be in the same ward.
‘They died together, in a short space of time, after being married for 71 years. So although it’s not nice, they would not have wanted to be on their own.’
Staff nurse at Worthing Hospital, Maria Reina, who cared for Ron on the ward, said: ‘Seeing them together, holding hands was very special. It made me feel very proud to be a nurse.’
The couple had first met outside a post office when Ron was 22 and Pat was 19. Ron, who was just out of the Royal Navy, was standing outside with his bicycle when Pat popped in to take some money out, and he was still there when she came out. They then talked and their relationship grew.
Pat and Ron Wood on their wedding day at at Broadwater Parish Church on April 23, 1949
Pat and Ron Wood during their time running the Ron Wood Store. They later sold the store so they could have children
They were married at Broadwater Parish Church on April 23, 1949, and set up home in Centrecourt Road, first renting and then buying it for £1,500.
Both their funeral services were held on Monday, June 8 at a crematorium in their home town.
Nikki said visiting her parents was tough during the pandemic and she had to speak to them via video call.
She added: ‘Worthing Hospital was brilliant, wonderful and caring. I would like to thank all the team, doctors, nurses and the ward clerk.
‘In these challenging times, when visiting is restricted to a minimum, it was never too much trouble to let me speak to them on the iPad.’
Ron was a popular Worthing footballer, who nearly died in his 20s when he was struck down with a mystery illness.
He had been Worthing Football Club’s top goal scorer season after season following the Second World War before he was hit with heart problems.
In 1953 he spent a year in hospital, finally being diagnosed with endocarditis, an infection in the heart, and then faced the devastating news he would never play football again.
Three years later, he and Pat married, the couple supported by the football club.
Ron made 12 appearances for Sussex.
Such was his popularity, the Ron Wood Appeal Fund was set up to help him and enough money was raised to give Ron and Pat the deposit to buy a general store in South Farm Road, Worthing.
The couple ran the Ron Wood Stores shop for five years, then gave it up because they wanted children.
Nikki was born in 1959 and Ron went into management with Seeboard, working in nearby Shoreham for 21 years.
Pat worked at Marks and Spencer in Worthing town centre for 28 years, then at Goring Hall Hospital for 11 years, and met Princess Margaret when she officially opened it on October 26, 1994. She retired at the age of 73.
The couple leave two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.