Mississippi couple married for over 50 years die of coronavirus while holding hands
Mississippi couple, both 72, die within six minutes of each other while holding hands after contracting coronavirus on a cruise ship
23:00 07/04/2020
An elderly Mississippi couple who contracted coronavirus aboard a cruise ship died within six minutes of each other while holding hands last week.
Jerry and Frances Williamson, both 72, passed away on Wednesday April 1.
The Long Beach pair, who were married for over 50 years, passed away just minutes apart from each other with their hands still lovingly intertwined.
The Williamsons loved to go on cruises and went on their latest trip when coronavirus just started to make headlines but its full-fledged deadly potential was not yet known.
Mississippi couple Jerry and Frances Williamson, both 72, died on April 1 of COVID-19 after they contracted coronavirus aboard a cruise ship. They died within six minutes of each other while holding hands
The Long Beach couple were married for more than 50 years, pictured above in what appears to be an old wedding photo on their Facebook pages
The pair usually came home from cruises with a slight illness, only this time they contracted the deadly COVID-19.
It's not clear what cruise they were on when they caught the virus.
'When we got word they work sick after their cruise, it was normal to us. But then we learned that Mrs. Frances had went on a ventilator. Jerry called me right after that happened and you could tell there were tears in his eyes as he was talking to me. He was scared to death,' a pastor said at the funeral service.
'I don’t think Hollywood could have written a better ending to their lives. They lived their life together and they entered into the next life together,' he added.
Jerry was a Navy veteran and lifelong Alabama Crimson Tide fan. Frances was a retired phlebotomist. She was on the flower committee at North Long Beach Baptist Church.
On Monday a private ceremony was held at the Riemann Family Funeral home to remember the couple’s lives.
They were laid to rest in an emotional funeral ceremony on Monday. 'I don’t think Hollywood could have written a better ending to their lives. They lived their life together and they entered into the next life together,' the pastor at the funeral service said. An American flag was draped over Jerry’s coffin to commemorate his service in the Navy
The Williamsons loved to go on cruises and went on their latest trip when coronavirus just started to make headlines and its full-fledged deadly potential was not yet known. Pictured above on a cruise ship in this social media photo
The happy couple pictured together aboard a Disney cruise
An American flag was draped over Jerry’s coffin to commemorate his service in the Navy and his career as a public works supervisor at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport.
They are survived by their two children, Delora Demaris Williamson Ingerson and Jerry Austin Williamson II, along with their eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
As of Sunday evening there are a total of 1,738 cases of coronavirus in Mississippi and 51 deaths in the state.
They are survived by their two children, Delora Demaris Williamson Ingerson and Jerry Austin Williamson II, along with their eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren
Across the nation as of Monday evening there are over 368,254 cases of the virus with hotspots in New York, Michigan and Louisiana and 11,000 deaths
Mississippi couple married for over 50 years die of coronavirus while holding hands
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