Mrs. Anne Colgan

MRS. Anne Marie Colgan, of Golf Links Road, Newcastle, who died on January 27, was a much admired and highly respected member of the community, who will be sorely missed. She was 72

Mrs. Colgan, who passed away at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, after a short illness, was a careers adviser with the NI Careers Service, Trinity College Dublin and the Open University in Belfast until her retirement.

She was also a loving wife, mother and grandmother, who somehow found the time to carry out an enormous amount of voluntary work for organisations which benefited greatly from her enthusiasm, energy and unquestioned ability.

She was a great supporter of Marie Curie Cancer Care and for many years helped the support group at the Downe Hospital. Before the new Downe Hospital opened the group met weekly at Finneston House. Anne and two other volunteers brought along soup and cakes to the weekly meetings.

She was one of the first non-executive members of the Down Lisburn Trust and campaigned tirelessly for the new Downe Hospital. She was still a director when the hospital was officially opened. She also chaired the medical appointments committee for the trust area.

Anne was for many years a member of the Board of Governors of the then East Down Institute where she worked to build up further education in the area. She was delighted that in her time Newcastle and Ballynahinch received their outreach buildings.

She was a volunteer with Victim Support, which was set up by the NI Courts Service to support witnesses who were called to give evidence at court and who were often under enormous stress. She attended court sessions in Downpatrick, Newtownards and Bangor when needed.

Anne was closely involved with the Corrymeela Community and helped in the setting up of a Corrymeela prayer group in South Down. She was a regular attender at the weekly interdenominational prayer group held in Saul Parish Church and led by Dean Henry Hull.

She worked in Lourdes in the City of the Poor and in earlier years was involved with Pax Christi, an international Catholic movement for peace.

She was also a member of the Downpatrick branch of Soroptomists International. Other interests included bridge, golf, reading and skiing.

Anne was born in Belfast, but owing to her father’s career as a banker she lived in many places, including Newcastle where she attended the local primary school. Her education continued at Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch, Thornhill College, Derry, and Queen’s University where she studied English, History and Scholastic Philosophy.

The largely attended Requiem Mass was held in the Church of the Assumption, Newcastle, on January 30. The main celebrant was the Most Rev. John McAreavey, Bishop of Dromore and a family friend. The other celebrants were Fr. Michael McConville, Fr. Alan McGuckian SJ and Fr. Colin Crossey CC.

Bishop Trevor Williams, retired Church of Ireland bishop of Limerick and Killaloe — and a former rector of St. John’s Parish Church in Newcastle — was given a special seat in the sanctuary. Also a friend of the family, Bishop Williams conducted the final committal service in the church before Anne was laid to rest in Bryansford Cemetery.

Anne is survived by John, her husband for 43 years, children Simon, Jo-Anne, Eoghan and Marie-Louise, sons-in-law William Thornton and Niall McConville, daughters-in-law Deepa and Gianna, and grandchildren Niamh and Sauyma Colgan, Isaac and Freya Thornton, Jack and Rory McConville and Ella and Blake Colgan.