Marvin Ray Riddle, 84, and Mary Frances Riddle, 85, were known to friends and family as “M&M.”
The couple’s daughter Carol Friesen, described them as “truly better together.”
“When they both became wheelchair-bound, they liked to make a train with their wheelchairs so the staff could wheel them to the dining room at the same time instead of separating them,” Carol told TODAY.com
“They held hands almost constantly,” she added.
M&M shared a deep bond. Over the years, they leaned on each other; when one was feeling weak or vulnerable, the other was there to provide strength and comfort.
“One of their favourite things was making banana splits together,” said Carol.
“When Mom had her stroke in 2009 and was still in the ICU on their 59th anniversary, she really wanted a banana split with him.”
Carol offered to bring one from a local ice cream shop, but Mary wasn’t keen.
“She said that Dad made the best banana splits and she would rather have one he made,” Carol recalls.
“My husband and I packed a small ice chest with all the fixings, and Dad made them a banana split right there in the ICU.”
When Marvin passed away on Feb 1, it was tough on Mary, who had suffered from stroke-related dementia for several years.
“I watched my mom, sometimes looking everywhere for my dad, other times saying she sure did miss him,” Friesen said. “We got the feeling she thought he had been gone a long time.”
“I knew she would be miserable without him, and I hoped she would not have to suffer that sadness very long,” Carol said.
Four days later, Mary enjoyed a party to celebrate her 85th Birthday. Around 7:20 p.m., Mary told staff that she felt tired and asked to go to bed.
When a nurse went to check on her just over an hour later, she had died peacefully in her sleep. It seemed that Mary had got her birthday wish.
“We were so shocked when she passed away … and yet, we were not surprised at all,” Carol said.
“There is great peace in knowing they got to go so close together.”
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