FOR the third time in as many years, Derrylin’s well known and highly respected Gilleece family has suffered a most grievous loss, with the death of mother and grandmother, Teresa.
Her passing, which occurred rather unexpectedly, after a brief period of declining health, comes after that of her husband of over fifty years, Sean, in June 2020 and eldest daughter, Siobhan (McGovern), in November 2018.
Describing these very difficult years for the Gilleece and McGovern families as “a hard cross to carry” funeral Mass celebrant, Fr. Gerard Alwill feelingly spoke of how Teresa;
“Having struggled with the grief of Siobhan’s death, had lost her lifelong friend and partner”.
Born in February 1943, one of ten children of Mary Teresa and Andrew Murphy, Corratrasna, she grew up on the family farm where she first developed her great love of animals, especially ponies and dogs.
She also loved gardening and the world of nature. After attending Stonepark PS and Enniskillen Tech, she worked in the office of Curry’s quarry.
She married Sean Gilleece in 1965, residing at Main Street, and they were blessed with a family of six, funeral Mass celebrant, Fr. Gerard Alwill, describing her as; “A totally dedicated wife and mother”.
He went on to say that she had a great sense of adventure, enjoying travelling with Sean, a prominent figure in Fermanagh car sales business, on related trips to America, as well as exotic places like Thailand, Zimbabwe, Nepal and Everest, Lourdes and the Holy Land.
Her “deep and committed faith”, a daily mass goer with great devotion to Our Lady and the Rosary, led to many visits to Knock and Medjugorje too.
It also saw her “very involved in local parish activities”.
She was one of the first St. Ninnidh’s Church Eucharistic Ministers, also involved with the Apostolic Society, Pioneers and helping out in Clachan Court.
But, as Fr. Alwill fondly related, Teresa also “helped many people in times of need with food, clothes and lifts, always done quietly, drawing no attention to herself”.
He also told of how she had likewise donated a special seat outside the Church for use by anyone feeling unwell during services, “her quiet gift to the parish”.
Teresa is survived by daughters Mary, Ciara, Orla and Therese, son Mark, sisters Margaret, Philomena, Monica, Susan, Bridget and Alice, brother Owen, grandchildren, Laoise, Lauren and Michael.
She was also predeceased by her brothers Andrew (2018) and Thomas. Following Requiem Mass, burial took place in the adjoining cemetery.
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