“Till death do us part” is a traditional wedding pledge that symbolizes marriage’s oneness and devotion. This sentence defined a couple’s life and death, demonstrating to the world that certain love tales continue forever.
Dolores and Trent Winstead were not your typical couple from Nashville, Tennessee. A twist of destiny brought the two lovebirds together, and they couldn’t tolerate being apart.
The lovebirds first met in Dickson County in the 1950s and felt an immediate connection. Trent and his girlfriend exchanged love letters during the Korean War. Trent mentioned in one of their passionate exchanges:
“Awfully glad to hear from her [Dolores] (sic).”
Trent made an unplanned restroom proposal to Dolores when he returned from the war. Eddie Winstead, their son, revealed that his father proposed to Dolores while she was brushing her teeth so she wouldn’t reject it.
Soon after, the couple married and enjoyed their golden years in West Nashville. Trent liked being near the lake, while Dolores liked stacking her shelves with recipes.
Eddie and Sheryl acknowledged their grief at losing both of their parents but were blown away by their true-life love story.
Sheryl Winstead, their daughter, revealed that her parents’ contrasting personalities drew them together. Trent became unwell unexpectedly in early December 2016. His kidneys were deteriorating, and he needed to be stabilized, according to the physicians.
Dolores, at 83, stayed by her then-88-year-old husband’s side until she began getting severe headaches. Eddie remembered his mother having a brain aneurysm and ending up in the same hospital room.
Unfortunately, the Saint Thomas West Hospital personnel in Nashville informed Eddie and Sheryl that Dolores would not survive. As a result, they decided to let her go naturally, but they were afraid to tell Trent the awful news.
“When we explained to our dad that Mom wasn’t likely going to make it,” Sheryl told ABC News, “he, in our opinion, really grieved himself to death.”
The medical personnel put the couple’s beds closer so they could spend their last moments together. Trent held Dolores’ hand till her death, according to Sheryl. Eddie, overcome with emotion, recalled:
“I had to lean down next to him and tell him, ‘Dad, Mom has passed.'” It’s as though his entire spirit has shifted. I told him, ‘Dad if you want to go be with Mom, that’s fine with Sheryl and me.'”
Dolores died on the evening of December 9, and Trent died late that afternoon the next day. The pair had been married for over 63 years and were about to celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary on January 17, 2017.
Eddie and Sheryl shared their heartbreak at the loss of their parents but were blown away by their true-life love story. They spent Christmas 2016 remembering their parents with old images and touching memories. Sheryl also stated:
“It’s like God made their travel arrangements and they went together; it’s just really sweet.”
Dolores and Trent undoubtedly immortalized their love by living and dying together. Another story similar to this one involves a 77-year-old couple who died hours apart and were buried in the same coffin. The complete story can be found here.