Georgia couple married 71 years die 12 hours apart

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A Georgia couple spent 71 years happily married. At the end of their earthly love story, the love birds passed away just hours apart.

According to WRDW, Frances and Herbert DeLaigle met in Waynesboro, Georgia, when they were 16 and 22 years old.

"Frances worked at a little cafe we had in Waynesboro named White Way Cafe," Herbert said in a 2018 interview. "I kept seeing her going in and out, in and out, and I had my eyes set on her. And then I finally got up the nerve to ask her if she would go out with me sometime."

The pair went to the movies for their first date; a year later Herbert asked Frances to marry him.

However, their vows almost didn't happen.

"He was always late," Frances said.

That propensity for being late resulted in Herbert being an hour later to the church on their wedding day. Herbert was so late, the preacher had decided not to perform the ceremony.

It took some convincing, but the preacher eventually agreed to rush through the service and wed the DeLaigles.

From there, the couple traveled extensively. Herbert was in the Army for 20 years, which took him and his wife to Germany and many U.S. states.

According to Frances' obituary, she loved flowers and animals--noting that she owned and operated a plant nursery from 1979-1984.

The DeLaigles had six children, 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Herbert died at 2:20 a.m. Friday morning. Then 12 hours later, Frances died at 2:20 p.m.

"It's amazing how they were together for 71 years and now they are together in heaven," the DeLaigle family said in a statement Friday. "What an amazing love story that is."