Taking on the sole responsibility for the care of his wife who was suffering from demetia proved too much for a Pembroke Dock man, Pembrokeshire's deputy coroner heard yesterday.
Model husband Ronald Long, aged 76, of 18, Brewery Street, Pembroke Dock, took sole responsibilty for the care of his wife Peggy, the inquest heard.
The couple had met while Mr Long was serving at the RAF Sunderland base at Pembroke Dock during his National Service.
"He was her full-time carer and refused to have any help," coroner's officer Jeremy Davies told the deputy coroner for Pembrokeshire, Mark Layton.
But the strain proved too much. The inquest heard how on one occasion in January Mr Long telephoned his sister-in-law who found him sitting on the stairs with his head in his hands, sobbing, while his wife shouted abuse at him.
On February 27th neighbours saw Mrs Long standing at her door in distress. A search was made for Mr Long and at 9pm he was found hanging in his garage in Cumby Terrace.
"It seems he felt a deep sense of despair over his wife's health," said the deputy coroner who recorded a verdict of death from self-inflicted asphyxia.
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