A great-grandmother who was born on the same day as her husband, grew up on the same street and knew him for 80 years has died on the third anniversary of his death.

Violet and Ronald Smith, who were both born on September 30, 1928, met when they were 10 while living doors apart in Ordnance Street, Chatham.

Despite not liking him at first, Violet and Ronald ended up spending eight decades together, 65 of them married, before Ronald died on December 30, 2016.

Violet, a former cleaner at Maidstone Hospital, died last week, after a suspected aneurysm, exactly three years after losing Ronald.

Their daughter, Valerie Woodman, said the pair were soulmates and her mother “wanted to be with her husband” every day.

“It was a true love story,” the 59-year-old said.

“It was a shock for everyone when it happened.

“I had taken mum to Medway Crematorium as it was the anniversary of dad’s death, and we went to see his plaque.

“When we walked away, she suddenly screamed and collapsed.”

Valerie praised those around her after a man rushed to help her pick up her mum, another woman rang 999 and staff at the crematorium checked she was okay.

She described her 91-year-old mother as an “amazing woman who adored her seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren”.

Valerie added: “Mum was lonely after dad died, but the children kept her going. She always loved having them around.”

Violet and Ronald had two other children - Susan and Barry - and provided a happy childhood for all three.

Speaking to the Medway Messenger in 2016, just months before Ronald’s death, the pair talked about their 65 year marriage.

Violet said: “He used to chase me and I used to tell my friends 'tell him to go away, I don’t like him.'"

Ronald added: “I was a bit sweet on her from when I first saw her, but she didn’t take a lot of notice.”

But he wasn’t one to give up, and the story of their first date, around the age of 17, showed Violet was always his number one priority.

“As we got older he asked me to go out,” she recalled.

“We went to the pictures but our parents in those days were very strict, and my dad said I could go but had to be back in the house by a certain time.”

The family are hoping to hold Violet’s funeral on February 1, the same day Ronald was cremated.

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