A pastor of forty years has died of Covid-19 just two weeks after his wife succumbed to the virus. Pastor John Thomas of the Coosada Church of Christ in Alabama died on December 26th, just a fortnight after his wife Joann. The pair had been married for 52 years. 

The church paid tribute to their long-serving pastor with a post on Facebook. 

"We are extremely saddened and regret to have to inform you that...Brother John Thomas Senior passed away to join the Lord,” the post read. "He was a great soldier for God and we are grateful for all he contributed to this world. These times have been overwhelmingly difficult for us all and we thank you for your prayers. Please allow us some time to grieve as we deal with preparations for his home going service.”

Joann tested positive for the virus just a few days before her husband. Originally, the family believed she was suffering from an asthma attack, but soon learned she had contracted the virus. She died on December 10th, just as her husband’s condition continued to deteriorate.

The couple's son, Jerald Thomas, said his father "was in good spirit" after testing positive for the virus, but soon took a turn for the worse. "He was worried about my mother and all he had was I think a stomach ache and by Tuesday he was throwing up and by the end of that week he wasn’t breathing that good," he told WFSA 12 News. "So it was quick, it was a very quick transition.”

Despite the heartbreak of losing both his parents in such a short space of time, Thomas said the family are clinging on to the hope of Jesus. "There is a time to be born and a time to die there’s a time to be pull up and a time to be planted," he said, "so I knew then that we were ready before he knew us, so he taught us that."