An Ohio couple's love for one each other was so strong, their bodies couldn't live without each other. William Schafrath and Nancy Schafrath were married in 1955. The couple never had children, although they were close to their extended family. Their bond was so close that staff at the Brookdale senior living facility pushed the couple's beds together for their final week.
"We kind of knew that they were going to go together," said staff member Amber Maier. "The staff decided to push their beds together."
The couple held hands through their final hours together. Bill died around 7 a.m. Nancy followed around 11 a.m. Those who got to know the couple at Brookdale were fond of them. They remembered Bill as a jokester with great spirit. Nancy's outgoing spirit wasn't lost on any who knew her.
"Bill was always concerned about taking care of Nancy, and if Nancy was taken care of, he was taken care of," said staff member Jessica Shearer.
Another staffer, Sam Wilkinson, was asked to play his guitar for Bill shortly before Bill's death. He says the thing he'll remember most about Bill was his devotion to Nancy. "Everything was about Nancy," Sam said. "He was always looking for Nancy. If she was out of sight, Bill was looking for her."
The couple was laid to rest together, their lives celebrated by family and friends. Theirs is a love that will never be forgotten.
Footage provided by Fox 8 Cleveland
This story first appeared on LittleThings in January 2020.
