Couple's prayer answered, die within moments of eachother

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) - "Till death do us part" weren't just words in a wedding vow for a Kokomo couple.  After more than 63 years of marriage, and a full life together, the couple had their prayers answered.
        
The funeral for Lou Nell and Earle Howard was the end of a lifetime lived together. Lou Nell and Earle both Kokomo natives, met, fell in love, married in 1949 and raised daughter Julie. 

"My parents had a very very close relationship," said Julie. 

Earle was Kokomo Police Chief, the Howard County Sheriff,  and was for four terms, an Indiana State Representative.  Lou Nell spent 40 years as a legal secretary.  Age and Illness however, took their toll.  Julie a nurse, helped care for them.

"And sometimes I had to function in the nurse role, just to be able to get through the day. Daughter role would fall apart, but the nurse role could function and do what needed to be done," said Julie. 

Earle had kidney and heart failure. Lou Nell, dementia. Earle feared he would die and Lou Nell would be lost without him. 

"And so pastor had told him, lets just pray to God and let you both go together,"  said Julie

Valentines day was spent eating ice cream and talking. The next day, Lou Nell was to be moved to a long term care facility.  And early the day after Valentines day, Julie went to their home to get them both.   

"I stood in the doorway.  And I looked at them.  And mother was laying there on her left side.  And dad was on his right.  Their hands were touching," she said. 

Julie got her dad up but in a chair a few minutes later, he died.   

"And so I went into the bedroom to check on my mother.  And she took one big breath, and was gone," said Julie. 

So the funeral service was really a prayer answered- the coffins of Lou Nell and Earle sitting side by side. 

"It's been tough in the way that I lost my parents simultaneously.  But on the other hand, my heart rejoices, because they went together.  They did it their way," she said. 

Lou Nell was 82, Earle was 86.