His wife Dolores stood by for as long as she could as his condition

A Tennessee couple married for nearly 64 years died just hours apart as they spent their final moments holding hands in their hospital beds.

Dolores Winstead, 83, and husband Trent Winstead, 88, died in Nashville's Saint Thomas West Hospital two weeks ago - five weeks short of their 64th wedding anniversary.

Several days before the couple passed away, a healthy Dolores stood by her husband's hospital bed holding his hand after he was admitted due to his failing kidneys.

Dolores Winstead, 83, and husband Trent Winstead, 88, died just hours apart in Nashville, Tennessee as they spent their final moments holding hands in their hospital beds

Dialysis had started to weaken his heart and he was moved to intensive care as Dolores and their two adult children, Eddie and Sheryl, were forced to watch his condition worsen.

But soon after on the night of December 7, Dolores started to complain of a headache and started throwing up.

The 83-year-old had suffered a severe brain aneurysm as she stood by her husband's bedside. She was connected to a ventilator as her condition started to deteriorate.

Hospital staff received approval to place the couple in the same room so they could spend their final moments together.

They were pictured lying together holding hands.

Dolores and Trent had been married for almost 64 years and had two children, three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren

Trent was admitted to the Nashville hospital suffering failing kidneys and his beloved wife Dolores stood by his bedside as his condition worsened. She suffered a brain aneurysm two days before they both died

The couple met back in the 1950s in Dickson County, Tennessee and married soon after Trent returned from serving in the Korean War

Dolores stopped breathing at 9.10pm on December 9.

The couple's son Eddie had to lean over and tell Trent that his beloved wife had died.

The 88-year-old blew a kiss to his wife and died just hours later.

'Because she was gone, he just could not handle it. We just watched him die,' their daughter Sheryl told the Washington Post.

Trent and Dolores would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on January 17

'I hadn't thought about it this way at the time. (He) literally, he died of a broken heart.

'Never in a million years did I think I was going to come out of the hospital with neither one.'

The couple met back in the 1950s in Dickson County, Tennessee. They sent each other love letters when Trent was sent away to serve in the Korean War.

They married soon after he returned to the U.S. after Trent proposed to Dolores on day as she brushed her teeth.

Dolores and Trent welcomed two children, three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Their children said they were polar opposites - Dolores was quiet and had a love of cooking, while Trent was outgoing and spent his days fishing on the lake.

They would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on January 17.

The couple were laid to rest last week with Dolores in a pink casket and Trent in a blue one.