A devoted couple died hours apart just days after celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
Peter and Elizabeth Molyneux, from St Helens, celebrated their diamond anniversary on December 1 last year. Peter, 83, had been unwell for some time after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
Elizabeth, known as Nanny Betty by her great-granddaughter Ruby, suffered from COPD, but was not seriously ill, according to granddaughter Katie Marsh. Despite this, Elizabeth died just hours after her husband on December 8 after taking a turn for the worse.
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Katie told the ECHO: "We always called them mother and father even though they're grandparents, they would both do anything for anyone - they were always straight with you, whether they were happy or not. Father was still 21 in the head I think."
She added: "My gran had COPD but we didn't think she was ready to go, she died just a few hours after father - he was at home and she was at Whiston Hospital, I don't think they could live without each other."
Katie also explained the close relationship that Peter had with her daughter, six-year-old Ruby. She added: "Ruby will never forget the bond she had with father and we will always be grateful for that. They had an unbreakable bond and would spend a lot of time together.
"As well as being close with father, my daughter Ruby was very close with her Nanny Betty, and she would always look after her. Their favourite song was Simply the Best by Tina Turner and we would always play it for them."
The pair had lived a happy life together in Sutton Heath, with Peter working at Pilkingtons and Triplex, while Elizabeth worked as a cleaner for St Helens Council, before going on to Asda and Sutton High School. They raised four daughters: Susan, Pauline, Diane, and Lisa.
Peter and Elizabeth will be dearly missed by their four daughters as well as eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. The pair were cremated together at St John's Church on December 29.
Katie added: "We miss them both so much, sometimes it still hasn't quite sunk in that they're gone. But they were amazing people who would do anything for anyone. I want to stress just how amazing the bond they had with the family was."
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