Ellen(107) wasagentle andgood-naturedlady
THE late Ellen (Lily) Roe of Avondale Park in Bray died earlier this month at the age of 107.
Ellen lived in her own home almost to the very end of her long and rich life.
A large number of people attended Ellen’s funeral Mass at the Holy Redeemer Church, where Fr Dan Nguyen paid tribute to a woman who had lived to such a great age. His words were very much appreciated by Ellen’s devoted family.
Ellen was born on March 13 1911 in Ferns, County Wexford. She was the eldest in a family of 8 – five boys and three girls.
She lived in Dublin, Enniskerry and also O’Byrne Road.
She worked in Mooneys Drapery store on the Main Street as well as in the Marine Hotel. After there, she went to work in the Dargle Bray Laundry. She met her late husband John at a dance in Church Terrace, where it cost 6p to attend.
Six years after meeting, she and John married on September 20, 1936, in the Holy Redeemer Church.
Her faith was very important to her and she said her rosary every day.
Over the last five years, she had carers in four times a day, This helped her stay in her own home until she was admitted to hospital three months ago.
She will be missed by her many nephews, nieces, their families and relatives, and the wonderful neighbours, especially Mary Lynch who called in every day and cooked her dinner every weekend.
Ellen passed away peacefully in St Vincent’s on April 8.
She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2011, with two parties attended by family and friends. One party was organised by her neighbours and another by her family. There was also a Mass said for her at that time in St Fergal’s, with tea and cakes afterwards organised by the parish committee.
Ellen was like a second mother to her Bray nephews. She doted on them as they grew up and continued to be as fond of their children. She had a lovely, gentle personality and was a ladylike and good natured person, who would give you anything.
She enjoyed listening to ceili music and she and her brothers would send each other tapes between England and Ireland. She always kept in touch with her family members in England.
She put her great health over more than a century down to a simple life. She rarely drank, didn’t smoke, and was very active. Even very late in her life, Ellen would head off down the town with her stick without any help.
Each day started with a nice bowl of porridge, dinner at one, and a cup of tea and a sandwich in the evening.
She was brought to her final resting place at Springfield Cemetery. May she rest in peace.