A devoted couple who had been married for 67 years died just 41 hours apart, with their family saying they could not live without each other. Geoff and Gerrie Gradus, from Kent, ran a well-known Kosher shop in Cliftonville, Margate. Geoff, aged 89, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones. His wife Gerrie, 86, died suddenly less than two days later.
Family's Heartfelt Tribute
The couple's youngest daughter, Ruth, said she believed her mother 'could not cope' without her husband of 67 years. Her parents were well known in the local Jewish community for their shop G's Stores, which Geoff's parents had previously run. Ruth recalled: 'Everyone says that they've never met a couple so in love. They were always holding hands. My dad was always giving mum a kiss. They were really sweet together.'
Ruth shared how Gerrie began to change after Geoff's health deteriorated. She said: 'The minute my dad went into a hospital bed in the spare room, which was four days before he died, I think her body just started giving up. I think she would never have survived without him.'
A Lifetime of Love and Service
The couple met while Gerrie was on holiday in Cliftonville, Kent, aged just 17, and married three years later. Their marriage began with heartbreak, as they lost their first two babies, twins, at birth. They went on to have four more children and ran their shop, loved for its doughnuts and cheesecake, for years. When supermarkets became more popular in the 1980s, they sold the shop and bought Wychdene Residential Home in Broadstairs, Kent.
Ruth said: 'They were really caring. They were very much involved - hands-on. They used to take the residents out for trips and have people come in and do shows for them.' The couple faced more tragedy when their son Spencer died in a freak ride-on mower accident in 2016.
Community Pillars
They were a big part of the local community, particularly with Margate Swimming Club, where Geoff was chairman. After retiring from the care home, they took in young exchange students wanting to improve their English. Ruth added: 'They did everything together, literally to the end. They used to play a lot of bridge; they did bowls. They always were very much involved in the committees of all of these places.'
Geoff's grandfather was president of Margate Synagogue, and Geoff took over after his death. He and Gerrie did lots of fundraising for the synagogue and quizzes. Ruth said: 'They used to do loads of catering and events, and no one would kind of leave anything without a full belly. You couldn't really go anywhere without people stopping and talking to them. They were much-loved and deeply respected members of the community.'
Memories from Others
Jutta Bick, who was sent to Cliftonville for holidays as a child, shared memories: 'A whole bus full of teenagers from Germany arrived in Cliftonville one morning in the summer of 1977. Everyone was waiting for 'their' family, and then a woman stepped onto the bus, a radiant smile on her face. It was Gerrie Gradus, and three wonderful weeks began. Every single day was a gift.'
Ruth concluded: 'They will always be remembered as a couple who gave so much to their community - and who remained side by side until the very end.' Following their deaths in December, the couple were buried together in a joint service at Margate Jewish Cemetery.
