Vera Russell and her husband Wilf were living in separate care homes just three miles from each other when they died.

The elderly couple had been married for 71 years when they passed from this earth, four minutes apart from each other. The English couple who have been married since after the Second World War spent the better part of 70 years together before moving into separate care facilities.

Mr. Russell was 93 years old when he died at 6:50 a.m. at his care facility in Wigston, England. Four minutes later, Mrs. Russell died at Leicester Royal Infirmary. There was no time to inform her of Wilf's passing.

Granddaughter, Stephanie Welch tells the Independent that it was as though her grandmother was waiting for him to pass.

"I think she was waiting for him to go," she said, "she was broken hearted."

Mr. Russell was diagnosed with dementia about a year ago. According to family, when he didn't recognize Vera on a recent trip, her health took a turn for the worse and she began to deteriorate.

The soulmates first met when they were 16 and 18-years-old and were engaged before Mr. Russell was deployed to Europe and North Africa during WWII. They got married when he returned after the war.

They leave behind two sons, five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

[h/t Independent]