Mrs Annabella (Belle) Speers and Mr Thomas (Tommy) Speers

THE deaths of Mrs. Annabella (Belle) Speers on November 15 and her husband Mr. Thomas (Tommy) Speers on December 2 were greeted with shock and sorrow by their family and friends.

Mrs. Speers died suddenly while visiting her husband in the Ulster Hospital. Mr. Speers died just over two weeks later from his illness.

Both of them were born in Belfast and spent most of their lives working and bringing up their family of four sons and a daughter there until they moved to the Model Farm Estate in Downpatrick almost 40 years ago.

Belle found employment in the catering department at the local technical college and remained there until her retirement, while Tommy continued to commute to Belfast to his job with Richardsons Fertilisers up until his illness forced him to take early redundancy.

Belle will be missed in the bingo fraternity as she loved a game or two every week. She also liked to read and was a member of the local library where the staff looked after her interest in certain authors by ordering books for her which she was always grateful for.

Above all, Belle was a mother, grandmother and great grandmother and she loved her family. She also had a great sense of humour which she passed on to her children and they thank her for it.

Tommy loved a bet on the horses, his favourite jockey being AP McCoy, and although later in his life he became house bound he followed the racing on television. He enjoyed his family visiting, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and found great comfort as they visited him in the hospital near the end of his life.

Belle’s funeral took place from Rourke’s Funeral Home to Struell Cemetery and was conducted by Dean Henry Hull, assisted by Father Fitzsimmons.

Tommy’s funeral took place from St. Colmcille’s Church to Struell Cemetery and was conducted by Canon Sean Rogan, with Dean Henry Hull in attendance.

Tommy and Belle are survived by their children Roy, Jim, Tommy, Brian and Marie, grandchildren and great grandchildren.