The widow or children of any member of such police force who shall have lost his life in the performance of his duty, shall, so long as she remains unmarried or so long as the children or any of them remain under the age of sixteen years, receive a pension equal to one-half of the amount of his salary at the time of his death. If the police officer leaves a widow and children, the pension shall be paid to the widow so long as she remains unmarried. If he leaves children and no widow, the pension shall be paid to those children who have not attained the age of sixteen years in equal shares.
N.J.S. § 43:10-33