‘Inseparable’ East End couple die hours apart after contracting coronavirus

Tributes have been paid to Ken and Betty Hill, who were together for more than 40 years
“Lifelong Hammers”: Betty and Ken Hill helped organise West Ham’s Remembrance Day events

An “inseparable” couple who were together for more than 40 years died within 24 hours of one another after testing positive for coronavirus.

Tributes were paid today to “proud East Enders” Ken and Betty Hill, from Plaistow.

Mrs Hill, 72, died in intensive care at Newham University Hospital less than a day after her husband, 69, who was at home having been discharged a few days earlier.

The couple were “lifelong” West Ham fans and helped organise the club’s Remembrance Day events with the Royal British Legion.

Ken and Betty Hill on their wedding day

Mrs Hill had two children from a previous marriage. Her daughter Sharon Stevens, 50, said: “They were inseparable. Their life was the Legion. They loved organising the trips and services, everyone there loved them.

“It’s been incredibly hard to lose them both in this way. We will be organising a big memorial when this is all over to give them the send off they really deserve.”

Bob Spencer, chairman of the Legion’s East Ham branch, paid tribute to the Hills, who had been together for 42 years and married 15 years ago. “They were wonderful, fun-loving and dedicated members. They were always happy as they were together. They will both be greatly missed.”

Mrs Hill was admitted to hospital struggling to breathe on March 22 and placed on a ventilator.

Her husband, who was suffering from a cough, tested positive for coronavirus but as his symptoms did not appear to be getting worse and he was allowed to return home, where he died on April 2.

Doctors then took Mrs Hill off her ventilator when she did not respond to treatment and she died the following morning.

Mr Hill had served in the Royal Corps of Transport before leaving to work at Leyton Station. His wife was a cleaner for Newham council.

A spokesman for West Ham said that everyone at the club was “deeply saddened by the passing of lifelong Hammers Betty and Ken Hill”.

Muswell Hill fish and chip shop legend George Georgiou

Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher joined tributes to George Georgiou, the owner of a fish-and-chip shop twice voted best in the country.

The singer tweeted: “RIP George Toffs”. Mr Georgiou, 62, had run Toff’s, in Muswell Hill, with his brother Costas for more than 20 years. He died with Covid-19 in University College Hospital.

His wife Kika paid tribute to “heroic” NHS staff, while his son Christopher said Mr Georgiou had been a regular gym user who had been fit before falling ill with symptoms of the virus.

George Georgiou and his family

Colleagues have paid tribute to a “kind and caring” mental health nurse who died with Covid-19.

Juliet Alder, 58, a mother-of-two, looked after older people in the Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Unit.

Carolyn Regan, chief executive of West London NHS Trust, said: “Juliet was known for taking great pride in looking after others.”

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