Lyle Yingling died of a broken heart.

He had congestive heart failure, but his family and close friends contend that the news of his beloved wife's death led him to heaven to be with her.

The scene in Troy, Kan., is much like one from "The Notebook," a romantic story of two lovers who spent a lifetime together and now ever after in death.

Lyle and Arnita Yingling both passed away Saturday, within hours of each other. Mrs. Yingling never woke from her sleep that morning. The youngest sons, Jason and Jerry, left soon after to tell their father at a nursing home in Wathena, Kan.

"Dad knew it before we got there, and I firmly believe that," Jason Yingling said.

Family members said there is just no denying that a couple like the Yinglings, married 67 years, could go on too long without each other.

The past month or so had been a race for the pair, said Toni Yingling, the couple's daughter-in-law. Both had fallen ill, he with his heart and she with cancer. She was able to stay at the family's home just off Main Street in Troy, but Mr. Yingling had to be cared for in Wathena.

Until February, the two were able to be together. Close friends and family did what they could to make sure the lovebirds still talked and saw each other as often as possible.

"We believe she was waiting at heaven's gates for him," said a close family member. "They always wanted just to be together. Everyone is happy for them. It was hard enough to see them apart."

The Yinglings were staples of the rural Kansas town. Standing room only at their funeral on Wednesday told their story.

A charter member of the local Lions Club, Mr. Yingling stayed involved with the group until his health started to fail. Members of the organization were present at the funeral Wednesday, proudly displaying their gold and purple vests to honor their founding father.

Mrs. Yingling had a special place in her heart for local youths.

"I think she baby-sat for almost every kid in Troy," said Amy Calderone, the couple's oldest grandchild.

Their lives revolved not only around their community, church and each other, but their four sons.

"They never missed a peewee game, ball game or nothing," Jerry Yingling said.

Arnita was a member of the Christian women fellowship of her church and the Troy American Legion Auxiliary, where she was the treasurer for many years. Lyle joined the U.S. Army in 1942 and served with the 104th Division Quarter Master Company in Europe during World War II. He was a member of the Louis B. Wenberg American Legion Post No. 55 and loved to fish and hunt.

But camping was the couple's true escape. Perry Lake was like Hawaii for them, said several family members and friends.

"They'd start planning for the next trip pretty much right when they got back," Ms. Calderone said.

The pair married in August 1941, after four years of dating.

"She always said she didn't think he'd every ask her (to marry him)," Jason Yingling said.

Jennifer Hall can be reached at jennhall@npgco.com.