Before their deaths, the couple who had been married for nearly seven decades were able to spend their last moments together, holding hands in a Tennessee hospital.
Tommy Stevens died on September 8 at the age of 91 – one day before the couple’s 69th anniversary, his obituary said. His wife Virginia, also 91, died nine days later.
Karen Kreager, the couple’s daughter, told VUMC Voice of Vanderbilt University Medical Center that her parents “both lit up” when they saw each other during a reunion at the hospital before his death.
“He was awake when she came in,” Kreager said of her father. His eyes were open. He didn’t communicate much – just a small whisper. But he knew that she was there and that she would be by his side. They [didn’t stop] holding hands the whole time.”
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Doyle Thomas “Tommy” Stevens Jr. and Virginia McKarem are from Kingsport, Tennessee, and met at Dobyns-Bennett High School, according to his obituary. The two later attended the University of Tennessee and were married on September 9, 1954.
Tommy began his career as a transportation manager for Burlington Industries after serving as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, his obituary added. He later founded Distribution and Transportation Services (DTS), Inc. In addition to working with Tommy at DTS, according to her obituary, Virginia was active in local church, school and civic groups.
Tommy and Virginia lived in Memphis, where their two children, Karen and Greg, were born and raised. After retirement, the couple moved to Franklin to be near their children and grandchildren.
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In his advanced years, the veteran had Alzheimer’s disease, VUMC Voice reports. He moved into the memory care unit of the facility for the infirm, where he and Virginia lived.
Breathing problems and dangerously low blood pressure led Tommy to be taken to VUMC, where he was diagnosed with sepsis and pneumonia at the hospital, adding that he was later transferred to VUMC’s Palliative Care Unit when further treatment was no longer possible.
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The same day that Tommy was taken to the hospital, Virginia suffered a fall and was rushed to the same hospital. Virginia was admitted to VUMC’s trauma intensive care unit with six broken ribs, a fractured spine and a hip injury.
As the couple’s family went back and forth between visiting Tommy in the Palliative Care Unit and Virginia in the trauma ICU, VUMC staff gathered the couple together to make it easier for them—first placing Virginia in a room next to Tommy’s, then putting bed next to him so Virginia could be with him and provide comfort.
“You know, it helped me a lot,” Virginia told the VUMC Voice. “It just gave me peace of mind that I didn’t have to worry about him. He was going to be with me.”
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A photo taken by the family shows Tommy and Virginia holding hands from their hospital beds.
Kreager recalled the couple and their family reminiscing about their past vacations spent together at the beach, as well as holiday feasts. “We were able to focus on both of them at the same time without having to worry about going back and forth,” Kreager said. “And the most important thing for us was that they were together.”
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dr. Mohana Karlekar, medical director of VUMC’s Adult Palliative Care Program, recalled Virginia holding her husband’s hand while they were in the hospital and fussing with him in a gentle way.
“On Monday, she was able to tell me that she was at peace with what was happening and that she wanted to be there until the end,” Karlekar told VUMC Voice.
Virginia was by Tommy’s side, along with their family, when he passed away. Then Virginia died surrounded by family on September 17th.
“What a love story,” Virginia’s obituary read. “In life, in death, in eternal life. Together.”
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Source: HIS Education