Funeral of loyal orders collarette maker held in Londonderry

The funeral of the well-known loyal order collarette maker killed in a road collision on Tuesday has taken place in Londonderry.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Aug 2016, 19:15 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 20:58 BST
Wilson Sherrard and his wife Ann pictured making UK City of Culture 2013 collarettes in LondonderryWilson Sherrard and his wife Ann pictured making UK City of Culture 2013 collarettes in Londonderry
Wilson Sherrard and his wife Ann pictured making UK City of Culture 2013 collarettes in Londonderry

Wilson Sherrard, 60, from The Fountain area, was a passenger in a Mazda car that collided with a van on the Foreglen Road, Claudy.

He was a member of Harmony LOL 858 and the city’s Apprentice Boys Browning Club.

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DUP MLA Gary Middleton attended Saturday’s funeral at Mr Sherrard’s home and subsequent burial at Ballyoan cemetery.

He described Mr Sherrard as “a gentleman” who was well known and respected within both the loyal orders and the community.

“His funeral was very well attended with a lot people from the Apprentice Boys wearing their collarettes – the majority of them made by Wilson himself.

“He lived in The Fountain and was involved in many things to do with the loyal orders as well as making the collarettes.

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“He will be sadly missed by all who knew him,” Mr Middleton added.

Mr Sherrard designed the special Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 collarette worn by the Orangemen in the city during that landmark year.

His funeral was held the day after news of two more deaths on Northern Ireland’s roads, bringing the total number of road fatalities during 2016 to 37.

One of those killed in recent days was Muriel Wing from Dromore – a 65-year-old auxiliary nurse at Craigavon Area Hospital.

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Mrs Wing died after her car collided with a coach on the A1 carriageway near Hillsborough, Co Down on Friday around 8am.

Her funeral service will take place on Tuesday at Banbridge Road Presbyterian Church, Dromore at 2pm followed by interment in the adjoining burying ground.

Newtownards motorcyclist Billy Kirk will also be buried on Tuesday after an 11am funeral service at S Clarke and Sons funeral church in the town.

The 53-year-old died when his machine struck a roundabout on the Comber Road in Newtownards on Thursday night.

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• The PSNI has requested all media outlets to point out that Mrs Wing was travelling alone and did not have a number of passengers as reported by some news sources. Three other people treated by ambulance paramedics were passengers on the coach.

Police also said Mrs Wing’s family would also like to make it clear that – contrary to some media reports – she was not previously involved in a similar collision with a coach on the A1 carriageway.

Related topics:Gary MiddletonMazda