The enduring love story of Kathleen and Raymond Atkins is a remarkable testament to the power of lifelong commitment and unwavering devotion. Their journey together spanned seven decades and was marked by challenges, triumphs, and the deep bond they shared as husband and wife. Despite illness and hardship, their love only grew stronger over the years and served as an inspiration to all who knew them. As they embark on their final journey together, Kathleen’s poignant declaration that she will not let Raymond die alone, followed by her own passing shortly after, epitomizes the depth of their love and the unbreakable bond they share. Their legacy lives on through their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who carry on the enduring spirit of their remarkable love story.
A very long time ago, a married couple made a commitment to stay together forever.
Their love was so great that it kept them together even after one of them died.
Eighty-six-year-old Kathleen Atkins cherished her marriage to Raymond Atkins. They were married for seven decades! Sadly, Raymond, who was 90, spent two years ill with lung cancer.
Raymond’s wish was to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary at their home in Crewe, Virginia. But Kathleen wasn’t going to wait for that to happen. She missed Raymond so much that she crossed to the other side and joined him. Their love story served as a stunning illustration of how resilient love can be in the face of adversity.
This devoted couple’s journey began seven decades ago when they married at the Kathleen Farm.
They raised their four children in the house they bought. They had a difficult life and fought cancer together. Les Atkins, the couple’s son, says, “That’s where life happened for them.”
Les also mentioned that his father “kept working” after learning he had lung cancer two years ago. He didn’t want to give up his job.” Raymond was admitted to the hospital in mid-July but returned home on July 22, 2020, to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
“He contacted me and said, ‘I’m leaving this hospital in the morning! I’ve been praying to God all day and all night! Les said, ‘It was the day before their anniversary.'” Raymond was back in the home he and Kathleen had shared for seven decades and answered his prayers.
Raymond’s condition worsened over the next few days and he began to feel weak again.
The thought of me being without him was too much for Kathleen. “She told my sister she couldn’t imagine life without him,” Les said.
In the last days, their daughter and Les’s sister decided to stay with their parents. When Les’s sister woke up early on August 4, 2020, to see how her father was doing, she found that Raymond had died quietly in his sleep.
Kathleen was devastated by her husband’s death. She was so in love with him that even after he died, she didn’t want him to be alone. “I won’t let him go alone,” she said as she lay dying, then climbed into bed and lay beside him.
Their son Les said: “Within minutes my sister called me and said my mum got into bed with him and she was overcome with grief.”
Kathleen also died within an hour.
“They refused to travel alone. They got through this life together. They just didn’t let go of each other because of their great faith. It’s a fantastic story in every way,” Les continued.
Les wrote: “I feel like I’m in the middle of a horror story and a beautiful love story,” when he posted their story on Facebook. My 90-year-old father died in his sleep today. My mother died in his arms in less than an hour because she was so overcome with grief. 70 years of marriage!
With a high school education, they ran a thriving business, raised four children, and cared for other members of the community for years.”
Four children, six grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren remain to carry on Raymond and Kathleen’s legacy of love. They are buried next to each other and their FUNERAL took place on August 8, 2020.
In conclusion, the remarkable love story of Kathleen and Raymond Atkins serves as a powerful testament to the enduring power of true love. Their unwavering devotion to each other transcended the boundaries of life and death as Kathleen refused to let Raymond go alone and eventually joined him in eternal rest. Formed over seven decades of marriage, their bond withstood the challenges of illness and hardship and exemplified the resilience and depth of their love. As their family mourns their loss and celebrates their remarkable legacy, Kathleen and Raymond’s enduring spirit of love continues to inspire and uplift all who hear their story.