FROM farmer to policeman to watchmaker to photographer, to father and husband and friend to so many, Walter McConkey certainly left his mark on the community in Lisnaskea and around the county.
Born into a farming community in Killevan, Monaghan, William Walter McConkey passed away peacefully at the SWAH last week, aged 86-years-old.
Walter first moved to Fermanagh in 1955 at the age of 18, after joining the RUC.
It was during this time, when he was based at Letterbreen, he met the love of his life, Elsie Maire, and the pair married in November 1957. They would go on to have three children – George, Lorraine and the late Heather – together.
Having been transferred to Banbridge for a time, where he befriended a local watchmaker and developed the skill as a hobby, the family moved back to Fermanagh in 1965. They lived in Enniskillen for a while before moving to Lisnaskea, where Walter decided to leave the police and set up his own business as a watchmaker.
Starting with little to no money, and just six watches to sell, his skillful reputation quickly spread, and by the time he closed the shop he had repaired in the region of 21,000 watches.
Aside from his watchmaking expertise, Walter also honed his skills in jewellery making, teaching himself to gold solder and engrave, which was also testament to his savviness as a local businessman.
Even after selling the business to Dowler’s in later years, he continued with this passion, fixing watches for both Dowler’s, as well as Mercer’s in Enniskillen.
Ever the Renaissance man, when Walter closed his shop he turned his hand to photography, and he became well known in the area for photographing many local weddings.
A devoted family man who despite his busy business life always had time to have fun with his children, Walter was also deeply spiritual, and was a founding member of the Enniskillen Baptist Church.
In his final years, Walter developed Alzheimer’s, and gradually deteriorated. He was cared for at the Milverne Nursing Home, and later the Graan Nursing Home.
Son George thanked the staff at both homes, and at the SWAH, for their “kind, patient, loving and caring manner” in which they cared for both Walter, and their family.
Walter was laid to rest at Maguiresbridge Methodist Cemetery following funeral service at Dowler’s Funeral Home on Saturday.
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