This could be a scene from the movie 'The Notebook'.  An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years died one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands. Family said the story of Gordon, 94, and Norma Yeager, 90, is a real-life love story. The way the kids tell it, dad was the life of the party while mom kept everything together.

Find out how it ended after the jump.

According to police, the couple left home last Wednesday to go into town, but they didn't make it.

At the intersection of Highway 30 and Jessup Avenue just west of Marshalltown, state troopers said Gordon pulled in front of an oncoming car. The Iowa State Patrol crash report said the other driver attempted to avoid the crash but was unable to stop in time.

In the intensive care unit of Marshalltown's hospital, nurses knew not to separate Gordon and Norma. They brought them in the same room in intensive care and put them together and they were holding hands in ICU. "They were not really responsive," said Dennis Yeager.

Gordon died at 3:38 p.m. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them. At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed too.

At their funeral on Monday, Norma and Gordon held hands in their casket. Family said they will be cremated and their ashes mixed together.

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