In October 2011, Gordon Yeager, 94, and his wife Norma, 90, died exactly one hour apart after 72 years of marriage. They were holding hands when they died.

The couple left their home in Marshalltown, Iowa, to run some errands in town, but they never made it. A car accident sent the couple to the emergency room with broken bones and other injuries. When they were transferred to intensive care the nurses knew not to separate them. But, even in the hospital, they were more concerned about each other.

Their son Dennis Yeager said, "She was saying her chest hurt and what's wrong with Dad? Even laying there like that, she was worried about Dad. And his back was hurting and he was asking about Mom."

When it became clear that their conditions were not improving, the nurses moved them into a room together in beds side-by-side so they could hold hands.

Gordon died at 3:38 P.M. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them.

Their son Dennis said,

It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn't figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going. But we were like, he isn't breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that's because they were holding hands and it's going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up.

At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed away too.

Dennis Yeager said, "They just loved being together …. They were old-fashioned. They believed in marriage till death do you part." Dennis also added, "I don't believe there was a big secret to their marriage. Sometimes one or the other would get mad, but they worked everything out. In the end, they chose each other, and that was it. They were committed."