Josephine’sfamilywascoreofherlife andshewasveryskilledathomecrafts
JOSEPHINE Cummins, of ‘Fatima’, Saint Helena, Dundalk, who died aged 88 on 16 September, 2017, was widow of James (Jim), a former personnel manager and director of PJ Carroll & Co.
Formerly Miss Tingey, Josephine hailed from London, and moved to Dundalk in 1961 when her husband obtained the personnel manager position with Carrolls. He worked with the company until he retired. He passed away in 1995.
Both Josephine and James were of similar Irish ancestry. Josephine’s mother hailed from Waterford.
She was born in 1929 into a family of five, and had two brothers, Louis and Ciaran, who both predeceased her, and two sisters, Doreen and Eileen, who reside in Waterford and Canada, respectively.
Josephine grew up in the straitened times of World War II, and experienced what it was like to be evacuated from her home. This informed her outlook on life.
After finishing her education, she went to work as a secretary with the BBC. She assumed the full-time role of homemaker upon her marriage, the practice of that era.
The couple lived in Harlow in Essex. They raised their four children, Joanna, James, Jus- tine and Jason, with Josephine’s life focused on that task, caring for her family, and running and maintaining the home.
Her talents, hobbies and interests were channelled into this sphere, applying her knitting and dressmaking skills for the benefit of the family.
She loved gardening, and exhibited her flowers in the Dundalk Horticulture and Agriculture Show in which she was also a contestant in the Make and Model section.
She was a keen supporter of the show when it was staged in the grounds of Saint Mary’s College.
Josephine settled well in Dundalk, and made a number of good friends during her near 60 years in town.
She resided for over a year under the kind and gentle care of the staff in Saint Peter’s Nursing Home, Castlebellingham, where she passed away peacefully.
She is sadly missed and remembered with love by her daughters, Joanna and Justine, Dundalk; sons, James, USA, and Jason, Castlebellingham; along with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren; sons-in-law, Pat and Roy; daughters-in-law, Lisa and Cindy; sisters, Doreen and Eileen; and by her extended family, neighbours and friends.
Josephine reposed at Dixons Funeral Home, before being removed to St Patrick’s Cathedral. Father Brian Slater CC celebrated Requiem Mass and gave the eulogy,
Burial followed in Saint Patrick’s cemetery, Dowdallshill.
Month’s Mind Mass is on Sunday, 15 October, 2017, in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral at 11.30am.