Devoted couple Keith and Olive Hopper died just two weeks apart after a marriage that spanned 55 years.

Mr Hopper, 75, and his 74-year-old wife were married on March 14, 1959 at Devizes Register Office and lived nearly their entire married life in Mayenne Place, Devizes.

The couple, who had three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, met at a dance not long after Mr Hopper, who grew up in Hull, was posted to Devizes for his National Service.

He was one of a number of talented footballers recruited from the Army Pay Corps by Devizes Football Club. Mr Hopper played alongside World Cup hero Roger Hunt. In one match in the late 1950s against Westbury Mr Hopper’s team won 6-0 with him scoring all six goals.

He was a sporting all-rounder and also played cricket for Marden, snooker, darts and skittles.

After leaving the army he worked as a builder’s labourer before joining Avon Rubber in Melksham and then Airsprung in Trowbridge.

Mrs Hopper was born in Devizes and grew up in Kingsley Gardens. She worked as a nursing assistant at the old Roundway Hospital and later for Wadworth Brewery.

The couple had two daughters Dawn, 54, and Jackie, 51, and a son Gary, 48.

Gary played football for Devizes and his two sons Luke, 25, and Jack, 22, also followed their grandfather’s footsteps as keen footballers and both have played for Devizes youth and senior teams.

Their other grandchildren are Dawn Giles’ children Lee, 32, Michael, 29 and Stacey, 27 and Jackie Davis’ children Leighton, 30, Adam, 27 and Sophie, 24.

The great grandchildren are Lee’s children Eden, six and Izzy, four, Michael’s children Erin, two and Billie, ten months and Stacey’s children Jack, four and Ella, two. Leighton has Mika, three months, Adam has Leah, ten months and Sophie has Oliver, four.

Mrs Hopper died on April 23, eight weeks after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Her husband died last Thursday, the day before his wife’s funeral at West Wiltshire Crematorium. Mr Hopper had been diagnosed with kidney cancer nearly three years ago.

His funeral is tomorrow (Friday) at 4pm at West Wiltshire Crematorium.