I just read the news. How tragic.
Gene was in advance state of dementia and had other health issues including heart disease. His younger wife died of a rare lung infection, caused by a virus, most likely a week before Gene died.
Just horrible. I feel badly for both of them, she was deathly ill while unable to care for her husband, who was not in a state to help her or himself.
I suppose the cautionary tale would be to have contact with family or others to check on an elderly couple. My heart goes out to their families.