ST. PETER (AP) -- Bob and Corrine Johnson got married as teens in southern Minnesota's farm country and lived together for 68 years.

They were to be laid to rest Tuesday _ after dying 33 hours apart.

They lived in their farm home near St. Peter until six months ago. After Bob was hospitalized with cancer, Corrine joined him there with congestive heart failure.

He was 88. She was 87.

One of their seven children, Dr. Bruce Johnson, says his father went downhill as soon as his mother died Nov. 24 and passed the next day. He says it's hard to imagine it was a coincidence.

Son Brent Johnson says his father always put others first, so it was only fitting that he waited for his mother to go first.

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