A husband and wife of 58 years, born only hours apart at the same hospital, died only three days apart last week.
Ronald Clark Oman, Sr. died April 16, only six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. His wife Linda Mae Oman was with him -- along with several family members -- when he died.
"She said, 'Ron, I will see you soon,' and we -- my sisters and I -- were in the background saying, 'No, Mom, we need you around here for a while,'" daughter Debbie Oman Monfre recalled.
Linda died April 19 during her husband's visitation at a local funeral home.
Ron -- also called "Papa Smurf" -- and Linda were born October 15, 1936 at Borgess Medical Center, according to an obituary from Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Directors. Linda was born only two hours before Ron. The two were delivered by the same doctor.
"It was literally a match made in heaven," son Ron Oman, Jr. told 24 Hour News 8.
Ron and Linda spend their lives in the same area, graduating Richland High School together in 1954.
That summer, at age 17, with the permission of parents and a judge, the two were married.
"I don't think we realized growing up what a great love story this was," said Debbie.
The couple had nine children -- five daughters and four sons.
"They were different in a lot of ways, but they complimented each other. His strengths were her weaknesses. Her strengths were his weaknesses," said Ron Jr.
All nine of those children were present when Linda died on Thursday.
"She had always said, 'That's how I want Ronnie and I to go, because I can't live without him,'" said Debbie.
They had 16 grandchildren and a dozen great-granchildren.
Linda worked for Gull Lake Community Schools for 25 years. Ron was a machinist and spent 10 years with the Stryker Corporation.
A memorial service in honor of the Omans was held Wednesday afternoon at the funeral home and the couple was buried soon after at a Richland cemetery.