Couple married for 63 years die just 30 hours apart
Earlier this year 93-year-old Kevin Feeney got a chest infection that morphed into the flu before becoming pneumonia. From around the world, family
members rushed home to be by his side for what were expected to be his final moments. But on July 30 they got a call to say it was their mother and grandmother, Madeleine, 88, who had died. The couple’s son Paul Feeney – assistant coach of the Stormers Super rugby team in South Africa – broke the news to his father. Kevin was in a non-responsive state, but Paul reckons he understood: 45 minutes later he passed away himself. ‘‘It was quite romantic. I told him he didn’t have to worry about mum any more, that she was waiting for him in heaven.’’ Kevin and Madeleine married in Auckland in 1954, built their dream home in Takapuna in 1957, lived there for 60 years, and had a joint send-off at St Luke’s Catholic Church in Bayswater, on Friday.
Last year they moved from Takapuna into a retirement village in Birkenhead; Madeleine’s dementia was getting worse, and Kevin’s health was frail. They would die within 30 hours of each other.
While Madeleine had been unable to recognise family for about four months, it was ‘‘still a massive shock’’ when she died, said Paul. ‘‘But in the end you couldn’t have scripted it better. They adored each other and were a great team, so for us it was just meant to be.’’
He described his parents as quiet, family-oriented people who led by example and were ‘‘good Catholics’’. They had three children and nine grandchildren.
Born in Ngaruawahia, Kevin was a lawyer who could never resist a debate, and a lover of racing – he hadn’t missed an Auckland Cup race in 78 years.
Madeleine was born in Lower Hutt, and moved up to Auckland to study Latin and Greek at university – where she and Kevin first met. She dedicated her adult years to motherhood and volunteer work.
Paul said it was a ‘‘blessing’’ that all nine grandchildren had the benefit of their grandparents into their 20s.
‘‘We were lucky, our family,’’ he said.