Funeral of Maureen Mc Grann 11^th September 2011

We gather here today in sadness with the family and extended family of Maureen Mc Grann. Our thoughts are for them. We ask God to send his Consoler to bring his peace to your hearts and to your homes. We give thanks to God for the life that he gave Maureen and pray in faith that he will welcome her home to everlasting happiness in heaven.

Holding a vigil for Maureen in hospital and their home before she died, her family have shared memories of who she was and what she meant to them. We mourn her passing, we cherish her memory. Above all you have remembered the humanity of a good person. Today as we gather in sorrow to remember Maureen. A burden of pain, burden of loss, burden of grief weighs heavily on you all. We gather as a community - our presence here today is our way of reaching out to Teresa, Jim and the entire family circle.

Maureen was totally devoted to her husband Gerald who died six years ago. So too she was so devoted to all her family. 

Maureen was born on 19^th February 1930 in Brown’s Row –Castle Hill- Gilford and was sister to Kathleen, Teresa, Johnny, Patsy and Jim and also to Mary and Elizabeth who died in infancy.

Maureen went to St. John’s School in Gilford and left at the age of 14. Initially she worked in Wades before she, like many others, answered the call of the ‘Mill Horn’ and went to work in Dunbar McMaster’s. She made many friends there and was liked and well respected. Evidence of such was indeed a visit to the hospital of an old colleague and she laughed at the many reminiscences.

Maureen spent her late twenties and thirties caring for her mother Kitty, who suffered for many years of poor health. Her father, J.E. continued in her care until his passing. Maureen’s payment for this caring was to find her own life-partner with Gerald McGrann. Maureen and Gerald went on to have almost 40 years together. Unfortunately they were never to have children. However, Maureen welcomed all her nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews into her home as if they were her own. Many times she had full-time boarders as they did not want to go home to their own homes! Her extended family remained close and of the utmost importance to her at all times. However, number one was always Jamie Doran, who held an extra special place in both Maureen and Gerald’s hearts.

Maureen carried her cross with great dignity and courage to the end. She never complained and her only wish was not be a burden on anyone. Her sharp sense of humour was still evident to the last as she came close to the nursing staff. Not only had she a sharp tongue and was never afraid to speak her mind, but her heart was bigger and was filled with kindness and generosity.

We remember a lovely person, a lady who was a treasure to you all. Letting go of her today is not going to be easy for Maureen was a great lover of family, people and life itself. Thank you to all who cared for her and loved her in life. Now her suffering is over. As Maureen has died now a part of you dies as well. You are filled with sorrow because her death leaves a gap that no-one else can fill adequately. When we remember her today we cannot help recalling the things she said and the way she said them, the things she did and her way of doing them but sadness is tinged with hope and expectation. We pray that she is with the Lord and we look forward to the day when we will be reunited with her. Christ’s resurrection assures us that if we follow him we will rise again.  It is only with death that life really makes sense, it’s our leap into eternity, it is God calling us home to be with him forever. At a time like this we come face to face with our own mortality.

Living a truly Catholic life is about waiting in hope and as people of hope we believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Maureen’s period of waiting is now over.

She brought love, care and friendship to those who knew her. Always faithful to her Church, prayer and fidelity to the mass and the sacraments were second nature to her. She died after her strength could no longer meet the challenge of life. Today then we bid farewell to Maureen. We comfort one another in the sure confidence that for Maureen life has changed, not ended. We also derive comfort from the conviction that she is at peace with God.

I would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to her loving sister, Teresa, brother Jim, brother in law Jim, Jamie, nephews, nieces and the entire family circle.

Maureen's great nephew, Jamie read the following after Communion

All about Maureen

She was good to me all the time

I had a good time going down the town to chat.

She made my dinner, I hoovered Her house for Her.

I miss Her alot, I need a photo of Maureen to put on My book, am making a book about Her .

She was like a Mummy to me, if She not be away I would be living with Her .

Gerald was like a Daddy to me, everyone is very sad about Her.

We took Maureen to our house for Christmas dinner.

She took Margaret down two times to My birthday party.

 Maureen had a good life.

Bye Jamie Doran  X




Jamie with Gerald and Maureen McGrann