With those trembling words, Engelbert Humperdinck did not sound like an international music icon who once commanded stadiums and topped charts across continents. He sounded like a husband—devoted, heartbroken, and preparing to say goodbye to the love of his life.
In a quiet yet deeply moving message shared online, the legendary singer invited the world to join him in honoring Patricia, the woman who stood beside him for nearly six decades. Her passing in February after contracting COVID-19 marked the end of a love story that began in a Leicester nightclub in the early 1960s and endured through fame, fortune, and life’s inevitable trials.
This is not just a story of loss. It is a story of devotion that outlasted the spotlight.
A Love That Began Before the Spotlight
Before he became Engelbert Humperdinck—the velvet-voiced crooner behind timeless hits like “Release Me”—he was Arnold Dorsey, a young man with ambition and a dream. It was in Leicester where he met Patricia, a proud local woman with warmth and strength that would anchor his life.
They married in 1964, long before international fame swept him into the whirlwind of global tours and screaming fans. Through it all, Patricia remained his constant. As his career soared in the late 1960s and 1970s, she built their home life with quiet grace, raising their four children—Louise, Jason, Brad, and Scott—while supporting her husband’s extraordinary journey.
For Engelbert, the world may have known him as a star. But at home, he was simply a husband and father. And Patricia was the heart of it all.
A Final Journey Through Familiar Streets
Though Patricia passed away in February after contracting COVID-19, her funeral took place months later, carefully arranged due to ongoing safety concerns.
In a heartfelt YouTube message, Engelbert explained why the funeral would remain private. “We have kept our funeral plans private due to the changing COVID-safety challenges,” he shared. But even within those limitations, he longed for something simple and human: familiar faces.
Patricia was, as he described her, “a proud Leicester woman, the salt of the earth.” From Queniborough, where she was born, to Leicester and later Great Glen—their cherished family home—her roots ran deep in the community.
Her final journey would take her from Market Harborough to the chapel in Loughborough, passing through the places that shaped her life. Engelbert hoped that along the way, neighbors and admirers might quietly step outside.
“It would be great to see friendly faces along the way,” he said, his voice carrying both sorrow and gratitude. “A prayer, a hello, or a wave would be wonderful—absolutely wonderful.”
It was not a request for spectacle. It was a husband asking for shared humanity.
“Remember That I Loved Her”
Perhaps the most haunting part of his message was not about the route, or even the ceremony. It was about memory.
“Wherever you are in the world, please pray for my beautiful, wonderful wife, my beloved Patricia,” he said. “And remember, I love you.”
In that final line lies the essence of grief—not just the pain of absence, but the desperate wish that love be remembered. His plea was not dramatic. It was heartbreakingly simple.
Remember that I loved her.
After 57 years of marriage, that love was no small thing. It had survived decades of touring, industry pressures, and the constant demands of public life. It had endured illness and aging. It had grown roots deep enough to weather anything—until COVID-19 intervened.
Faith, Family, and Farewell
In announcing Patricia’s passing earlier in the year, Engelbert spoke openly about faith. “Our family is deeply saddened by the loss of my beloved wife,” he said. “She passed away peacefully last night, as if by divine providence.”
He described how the family gathered to pray, blessing her with water from Lourdes. In his words, she was “delivered into the arms of Jesus with the help of heartfelt prayers from all over the world.”
For fans who have followed Engelbert’s career for decades, this expression of faith came as no surprise. His music has always carried emotional sincerity—songs of longing, love, and devotion sung with unmistakable vulnerability.
But this was not performance. This was personal.
He imagined Patricia now free from “earthly limitations,” reunited with loved ones and tending “the beautiful garden of Heaven.” The image offers comfort: a woman who spent her life nurturing others now resting in eternal peace.
The Woman Behind the Legend
Public figures often overshadow the quiet partners who sustain them. Yet those closest to Engelbert know Patricia was more than a supportive spouse—she was his foundation.
While he traveled the world, she maintained stability at home. While he stood under stage lights, she kept family life grounded. She was, in many ways, the unseen architect of his success.
To fans, she may have appeared occasionally at events, elegant and composed. To him, she was “my darling Patricia.” The language never changed. Even after decades of marriage, his affection sounded newlywed fresh.
That kind of devotion is rare—especially in the entertainment industry, where relationships are often strained by fame. Their nearly six-decade marriage stands as a quiet testament to endurance.
A Global Community in Mourning
When news of Patricia’s death spread, messages poured in from around the world. Fans who had grown up with Engelbert’s music felt a personal connection to his grief. For many, his songs had soundtracked weddings, anniversaries, and cherished memories.
Now, they were returning the love.
In asking the world to pause and whisper a prayer, Engelbert bridged the gap between celebrity and humanity. Grief does not recognize fame. Loss humbles everyone equally.
And in that shared vulnerability, a global community stood with him.
Love Beyond Goodbye
Funerals mark an ending, but they also affirm what remains. In Engelbert’s words, what remains is love.
As Patricia’s procession passed through Market Harborough, Great Glen, and Queniborough, it was not only a farewell to a life well lived. It was a celebration of the places and people that shaped her.
Friendly faces. Quiet waves. Whispered prayers.
In the end, that was all he asked for.
For a man who spent his career singing grand ballads of romance, perhaps the greatest love song he ever offered was not set to music. It was spoken plainly, through tears:
“Wherever you are in the world, please pray for my beautiful, wonderful wife… and remember that I loved her.”
And in remembering, the love story continues.