The pair were married for 45 years and Micheline took the time to reflect on her “wonderful life” with her husband who died in his sleep overnight.
“It was no life for him. He was not able to express himself latterly,” Micheline told the Daily Mail.
She added: “At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful. I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted.”
Micheline, 91, said that his condition had quickly deteriorated.
“He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss.”
She also reflected on life without the star, saying it was “going to be very hard without him”.
“He was gorgeous and we had a wonderful life together. He was a model of a man. It is going to be very hard without him, I know that. But it could not last for ever and he went peacefully.”
The pair first met in 1970 at a golf tournament, with Micheline not knowing who he was initially.
“I saw this man from the back, and of course, he had a fine physique” she told The Sun of the 6ft 2 actor.
“But that first day I didn’t know who he was or anything about him.
“Then I dreamed I saw this man. I was in his arms. And I thought ‘At last, peace’.
“The next day I went back to the tournament and that was that!”.
Their connection was so strong that the couple didn't even need to speak the same language.
“Oh we had no problem communicating — body language!”
This article originally appeared on Over60.