Mourners urged to 'take stock and embrace life' during funeral of tragic Mosside mum of two Shelley Feeney

Aged in her 30s, Shelley spent close to a week bravely battling for her life in intensive care after a car accident, but passed away on April 19.

Her funeral in Mosside Presbyterian Church, at which mourners were asked to wear bright colours, saw Rev Dr Andre Alves-Areias say Shelley’s grieving partner Stephen thought the best tribute to his beloved would be for mourners to “really live, to embrace life”.

Said the minister: “Stephen wanted to emphasise that life is to be lived – that in remembering Shelley, we might all just pause and take stock. That we won’t take things for granted, that we will appreciate the people we have, the little moments, the simple joys, because Shelley was really good at spotting those.

"It’s so easy to take life for granted and get bogged down with work and stress and this and that; Stephen wants us, as a tribute to Shelley and her love for life, he wants us to really live, to embrace life.

“Stephen’s encouragement to take stock, to appreciate life, is spot on.”

Her loss will be keenly felt too by her children, Jake and Sophie; Rev Alves-Areias offered words of comfort for them, in particular Jake who, he revealed, had been the one to call emergency services after the tragic accident.

“[A] moment that makes me proud, and makes his dad proud, is Jake’s courage and quick thinking last Monday,” he said. “Faced with such a difficult situation, his immediate call for an ambulance made a critical difference, ultimately gifting the family invaluable time with Shelley.

“And for that Jake, I am so, so proud, and I know your dad is too – not just him, but the whole community is proud of how you handled last Monday and the courage you had in crisis. Well done, buddy.”

Shelley’s passing leaves a hole in the tight-knit community, the minister stated, as she was “a big part of Mosside village”.

“There are many different events that have taken place over the last few years in the village and Shelly would have supported them well,” he said.

"Shelley was involved in Straidbilly PTA, keeping Mr George and the school on the straight and narrow.

“She and Jake won the Mosside ‘Going for Gold grant’ a couple of years ago and got money to run a football camp in the village.”

Her passing was the second tragedy to befall the family in less than a week, as Shelley’s father James died the day after she was hospitalised.

Reinforcing the comfort of Christ in the face of such extreme circumstances, Rev Alves-Areias said: “The last week and a half has not been easy. There’s a shock, a deep sadness, maybe even some confusion and hurt and even anger. And underneath all that, many of us are just feeling drained, weary, exhausted.

"Many of you here are running on fumes at the minute. And what you maybe long for is just a teeny tiny bit of rest, just for a few moments.

“That’s what Jesus offers you today, but the rest he offers is not just for a few moments - it’s for eternity.”