ERIC Morecambe’s widow Joan has died on her 97th birthday following a short illness.
The late Morecambe and Wise legend passed away almost 40 years before his wife Joan Bartlett – also known as Joan Bartholomew.
The couple married in Margate in 1952 and had a reception in the Bulls Head pub.
They had three kids – Gail, 71, Gary, 67, and Stephen, 54 – with Stephen being adopted by the couple.
It is understood that Joan died “peacefully” at her home in Hertfordshire.
A statement issued on behalf of her children said: “It is with great sadness and the heaviest of hearts that we must share the news that our mother, Joan, has passed away peacefully at the age of 97 after a short illness.
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“Our family kindly requests some privacy during this time while we grieve our sad loss.”
Born on March 26 1927, she died on her 97th birthday on Tuesday.
In 2015, Joan was made an OBE for charitable services in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
She was also the founder and president of the Lady Taverners, part of the Lord’s Taverners youth cricket and disability sports charity, from 1987 to 1992.
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Eric, who made up one half of comedy duo Morecambe and Wise with Ernie, died in Cheltenham in May 1984 at the age of 58.
Described as a “devoted wife”, Joan recently opened up about how her husband was worried that his comedy would be forgotten after his death.
She said: “He used to say to me, ‘I do hope we won’t be forgotten. I do hope we will be remembered,’ and of course they have been remembered.
“He’d have been over the moon about that, he really would.”
A heavy smoker, Eric had suffered his first major heart attack in 1968, the same year The Morecambe And Wise Show launched, at the wheel of his car aged just 42.
After two weeks in hospital, he returned home – vowing to give up his 50-a-day cigarette habit.
Despite his health problems, Eric continued to work – but had a second heart attack in 1979, and needed a heart bypass operation.
Five years later, he collapsed from a third and final heart attack, literally moments after walking off stage.
Eric had been performing in a charity show, hosted by his pal Stan Stennett.
His wife Joan said he was “on top form” just minutes before his death.
He died a few hours later in Cheltenham General Hospital.
Burglars raided their home in 2016 as Joan was unveiling a new statue tribute to the funnyman.
The thieves forced their way in and stole watches and jewellery worth thousands of pounds.
Joan was in Blackpool celebrating a new sculpture of Morecambe and Wise with her son Gary and daughter Gail.
Meanwhile Ernie was married to dancer Doreen Blythe and the couple did not have kids.
A 2021 book revealed how Ernie and Eric’s wives allegedly didn’t get on.
Ventriloquist John Bouchier, who toured extensively with Eric and Ernie in the 1970s, said: “The boys never socialised because the wives didn’t get on.”
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Eric’s partner in crime Ernie passed away in March 1999 at the age of 73.
He died from heart failure and a chest infection, in Nuffield Hospital, Wexham, near Slough.
‘EAST FIFE 4 FORFAR 5’
THE parody scoreline East Fife four Forfar five dreamt up by legendary comedian Eric Morecambe finally came true in 2018.
The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in the Scottish League Cup and it went to penalties, with Forfar winning 5-4.
The tongue-twisting scoreline was a regular joke the genius stand-up used to utter to BBC classified football results reader and pal James Alexander Gordon.
Before his death in 2014 Gordon said: “Whenever I saw him over a 20-year period he would say, ‘East Fife 4 Forfar 5’.”
And it turns out the result, for the first time, became reality — even if it took a penalty shoot-out to get them there.
The two Scottish clubs played out a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, with Forfar clinching victory on sudden death spot kicks.
Both teams had missed one each after five spot kicks, so Daryll Meggatt stepped up for the Fifers and missed, before Thomas Reilly scored the winning effort for the away side.
