Mum was born at Newferry on Boxing day 1948. She was the daughter of Thomas & Josephine Craig and the sister of Joe, Oliver, Tommy, Gusty, Syl, Patricia and John. She attended both the Largy School and St Olcans before the family moved to Portglenone in 1968. After leaving school she worked happily in the Braid Water Spinning Mill before moving closer to home and working in the Clady shirt factory. Mum met Daddy in 1971 and they married 2 years later. The young couple set up home in Ballymena and their first child Darren was born in August 1974. A few months later she lost her father Thomas to illness and by 1976 she found herself back in the family home caring for her ill mother Josephine until her untimely death. Our family expanded in 1978 with the birth of Michelle and was added to further in 1981 when Geraldine arrived. By this stage she had given up work to look after the family home. In 1986 the family moved to their current home in Glenariff Crescent and as us children grew older Mum went back to work. She took great satisfaction from her job as a domestic assistant, firstly in the Waveney Hospital and later at the new Antrim Area Hospital. Unfortunately she was forced to retire in 1999 with the onset of ill health. Over the next 12 years Mum battled courageously against the respiratory disorder C.O.P.D. With the encouragement of all our family and the particular dedication of our sister Geraldine she attempted to maintain a sense of normality in her life. During these years she never complained, continued to be generous and selfless and used her tremendous sense of humour to mask her own health problems. In recent years she took particular delight in the birth of her 3 grandsons, Riley, Noah and Finn. These additions to our family increased her resolve to overcome her health problems and live her life to the full. They provided Mum with a renewed zest for life and she was able to shower on them life’s most important gifts - time, love and the importance of family. Mum was completely devoted to her family and totally supportive of the individual personalities that we children developed. Even in her lowest moments of suffering and pain she continued to deflect attention from herself so as to ensure others felt important. Her selflessness enabled all of us and Daddy to enjoy all life’s offerings with pleasure and without anguish. Our parents inspired us with their Faith, not only in religion but the faith of life. We were raised with principles and the strong values of love, understanding and tolerance. We were encouraged to work hard, make a good life for ourselves. My Mothers’ faith and constant endless love kept our family on track; she never faltered in her faith despite the many low points she faced throughout her life. Mum has been an inspiration to our family, and to those who know her by her unselfishness, willingness, and dedication to Daddy for thirty eight years. Her encouragement and compassion shown despite the heart breaking destruction of illness is admirable. As a family we take happiness, contentment and peace in the knowledge that Mum went to heaven surrounded by her husband and children. What a fitting tribute it was that despite her suffering in the end we feel very content that in those final few days Mum got what was most important to her in life - spending time with her loving family by her side. If we could give you a gift Mum, we would give you the ability to see yourself as others see you, then you could really see how very special you are. You come in and out of our lives and leave footprints and memories engraved on our hearts forever. Your courage in the face of adversity and your inner strength is truly a blessing to us all. You are a shining light to each of us. You cast a gift into our hearts that would be as giving as a gift from the angels. We appreciate the love you have shown to each of us, your devotion and determination to keep our family together, and last but not least, the way you have cared for Daddy all those years. You are indeed a true ‘woman of heart’, a woman with great faith, and a wonderful role model to many. Your persistent fighting spirit was nothing short of a miracle and words cannot describe the tremendous void left in all our hearts. We love you Mum, more than you know, and we will continue to love you, forever. All I am I owe my Mother – George Washington