Family man Michael, a loyal friend
ORIGINALLY from St Aidan’s Crescent, Michael Sutherland sadly passed away on Wednesday, January 10, at the age of 72.
Michael is sadly missed by his loving children Colette, Colin, Margaret, John, Michael, Mary and Ciaran his 14 grandchildren, sons in law and daughters in law, relatives and friends. He was pre-deceased by his loving wife Eleanor, grandson Liam, granddaughter Lila and his only sibling Rita Monaghan.
Michael’s childhood years were spent playing Cowboys and Indians in the Knock with all his friends.
During his teenage years he found a love for handball and snooker spending many years in the Liam Mellows Social Club and the 147 club.
Michael was a loyal friend and would make earnest efforts throughout his life to meet up with them, either for a game of handball or snooker and then a few pints afterwards.
His friends stayed true to him throughout his life and visited him regularly during his final years in Wygram nursing home.
A native of St Aidan’s Crescent, Michael worked in Springs and then secured employment with the Prison Service moving to Portlaoise where he was first stationed.
Moving back to Wexford, he and his family made the move to Piercestown and for many years he and his late wife Eleanor ran the local shop there while Michael was stationed in Shelton Abbey Prison, Arklow.
In 1991 they sold the shop and the family moved to Redshire Road, Murrintown, where Michael and his family spent their remaining time together before Eleanor sadly passed away in 2011.
Michael loved spending time with his children all of whom have such fond memories of their many trips to the beach and beyond, always stopping off for an ice-cream on the way home.
If there were cousins around who could squeeze into the car they would all be brought along also.
His captivating childhood stories would have all his children enthralled, a skill which carried on with his beloved grandchildren, telling them tall tales of how he was shot in the leg three times while working as a prison officer in Shelton Abbey to explain his shaking leg from Parkinson’s.
Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in his mid-50s which he bore bravely, however, it did steal his quality of life over the past three years.
He spent his remaining years in the care of Castle Garden Nursing home, in Enniscorthy, and then Wygram Nursing Home, Wexford where he enjoyed being back in the town as many people would visit who knew him from his younger days.
Michael’s family would like to sincerely thank all the carers for the excellent care they provided and all those who travelled from far and near to pay their respects, especially Michael’s relatives and friends and all the prison officers who travelled to share wonderful stories of his days working as a prison officer.
Michael’s funeral mass took place at the Church of the Assumption in Bride Street followed by burial at St Ibar’s Cemetery, Crosstown.