BEATRICE WAS DEVOTED TO THE GREYSTONES COMMUNITY

MOST residents of Greystones will fondly remember the late Beatrice Gunning, née Thompson, who died suddenly but peacefully last month at the age of 92.

Beatrice will be sadly missed by her children Averil, Alvin, Roberta and Ian, her brother Liam, son-in-law Liam, daughter-in-law Nuala, grandchildren Laura, Ciara, Anna-B and John, and by all her relatives, neighbours and many friends.

She and her late husband John were founding members of Greystones Credit Union, one of the many groups, organisations and causes to which they maintained a lifelong devotion.

Together they created a very happy home, and it was in fact the day of their wedding anniversary that Beatrice passed away.

Beatrice was born in December 1924. Even from when she was a young girl, Beatrice always loved to keep herself busy and amused with activities.

She was born and lived all her life in her home at Malvern in La Touche Place. Her brother Liam now lives in New Zealand, while her late sister Sybil lived in Canada.

She enjoyed visiting them both over the years, and indeed she travelled all over the world in her lifetime.

In 1993, they held a family reunion in Greystones, which brought all three siblings together in their home place for the first time in 40 years.

Beatrice began her education in the local National School which was demolished long ago. She then went to Wesley College in Dublin and, when studying there, she auditioned for Turner Hegarty and sang in the choir.

She then went on to study in Barnes Academy. In 1940, Beatrice got her first job in McFarlands Grocery Store (now AIB), where she did the book-keeping. With a keen interest in law, Beatrice then found employment with a barrister, Michael McGilligan, where she was a dictaphone typist. Not staying long, Beatrice then joined Molloy Fayle and Co Solicitors.

Beatrice and John married on April 23, 1951. She left work to raise her children, and continued to enjoy a vast range of hobbies and interests, including cooking, which she adored.

Wedding cakes were her speciality, and she made ‘more wedding cakes than you could count,’ according to her daughter Roberta.

In 1965, Beatrice returned to work where she was made ‘Calling Out Officer’ up until the late 70s at the Fire Engine base, which is located beside her home.

She is a founding member of Greystones and District Credit Union. A number of years ago Beatrice was nominated for the Credit Union Person of the Year award, while she was also awarded the Pauline Cottinger Award for long and dedicated voluntary service to the Greystones Credit Union.

Not long after that, Beatrice then attended the Dail for two days while the Credit Union taxation proposals were debated on the floor of the house. She also visited the World Forum of Credit Unions in Nashville in Tennessee. It was a nine-day visit where Beatrice about 100 other Irish people from various credit unions got to meet many people from all over the world while they carried the national flag.

In the 1980s, Beatrice dedicated a lot of her time to committees and groups all over Greystones. She was treasurer of the Greystones Civic Association; supervisor in St David’s School; she ran the members’ draw for St David’s 300 club and she was part of the fundraising committee for St Brigid’s School.

In 1999 Beatrice became chairperson of Greystones and District Active Retirement.

She loved bridge and whist, and Beatrice was the first president of the Sugarloaf Bridge Club 96/97. She also loved singing and was famous for her heartfelt rendition of ‘ The Rose of Tralee’. She was a member of the Greystones Operatic and Dramatic Society for many years.

In addition to all of her voluntary work, Beatrice also collected for Enable Ireland, Aware, and the lifeboats.

‘She was so outgoing and prepared to learn new things,’ said Roberta. ‘She had her laptop at home and kept up to date with everything. She was inquisitive and loved to read her paper every morning, and the Wicklow People every week!’

Roberta remembered going over to the beach during childhood summers. ‘She would follow us over with lunch, and sit knitting with the other mothers. She would bring our bathing suits – we weren’t allowed go in swimming unless she was watching,’ said Roberta, who remembers a loving and happy home.

Members of all of the organisations to which Beatrice devoted her time and attention were present at her funeral to pay their respects and form guards of honour in her memory.