Mr Arthur Overend

MR Arthur James Overend, of Benderg Avenue, Downpatrick, passed away peacefully at home, with his beloved wife Kate by his side, on October 17 following a long illness. He was 68.

Deeply missed by his family and friends, Arthur has been described by those who knew him best as ‘a good man in a world that increasingly lacks good men.’

The eldest son of Al and Kathleen Overend, he was born on April 19, 1947, in Belfast. Arthur spent the first four years of his life growing up in Holywood, before the family relocated to Ardglass.

He was educated in the village, first attending St Joseph’s Primary School and then moving to St Anne’s Secondary Intermediate School. 

From the age of 15 he worked after school, and at weekends, at the Milestone supermarket in Downpatrick town centre.

Arthur left school at 16 and joined Thompson Reid Motors in Belfast, and he served his time there. He always had a flair for figures and he transferred to its accounts department.

Then in 1974 he moved to Pearl Insurance, a company he worked with for 20 years as one of its district sales agents.

In 1979 he first met his future wife, and best friend, Kate. It was another four years before she agreed to go on a date, after rekindling their friendship during the Ardglass Festival.

They married in May 1986 in St Mary’s Chapel, Dunsford, spending the first decade of their married life together in Ardglass, before settling in Downpatrick.

Arthur retired from Pearl in 1993, following his first brush with bowel cancer. He was tough enough to survive that experience.

An accomplished organist, he started piano lessons at the age of 11, progressing to learning to play the organ in a local church. By the age of 17 he was the resident organist in St Nicholas’ Church, Ardglass, a post he held for 10 years until 1974.

In 1968, at the age of 21, Arthur attended Belfast’s Ulster College of Music where he learned to play the trumpet. He subsequently played in several showbands during his 20s.

Yet another example of his fondness for the arts was his part-time lead projectionist role at Downpatrick Cinema, a post he carried out until its closure in 1990.

However, his great hobby was the railways – from steam engines right through to modern-day, high-speed trains.

He spent many a happy time sitting with the driver of the Dublin to Belfast express. Those who knew Arthur knew he was never a train-spotter, but that instead he had a genuine interest in the various makes of engine and railcar. 

When on holiday in England he used to spend time on railway platforms watching the comings and goings while Kate either read a book or popped off to the nearby shops.

One of his happiest childhood memories, which he fondly recalled, and which perhaps led to his great appreciation of the railways, was a trip his late father organised, when a train driver allowed a young Arthur to sit up with him in the cab during a journey. 

A dedicated and affectionate husband to his beloved Kate, Arthur always treated her with the utmost respect. Always the gentleman, he upheld traditional behaviour such as opening doors and letting Kate go first.

A caring, gentle person, Arthur endeavoured to avoid confrontation, preferring to treat others with kindness and consideration.

Mourners at his largely attended funeral, a reflection of the great esteem in which he was held across the community, heard that Mr Overend was a truly decent person and a total gentleman whose passing has left the world the lesser for his absence.

The service, held in St Patrick’s Church, Downpatrick, on October 20, was conducted by Fr Maurice Henry and Fr Pat Sheehan, who had both played key roles in his spiritual care over the years. 

The mass contained prayers, hymns and readings picked out by Arthur and Kate in the weeks and months leading up to his passing. 

In addition to Kate, Mr Overend is survived by a large family circle, including his younger brother Terry, partner Josephine and their son, Alex, his mother-in-law Mrs Maureen Rooney, brother-in-law Paul and sisters-in-law Bernadette and Millie.

He is also greatly missed by his many dear friends.