Joyce Taggart from Ballykelly: Minister asks 'What has gone so wrong that these things happen in our world?' after leading light of congregation killed in road accident
An 84-year-old seamstress who died after a road accident will take her seat at ‘the Wedding Feast’ of Christ, her friends and family were assured today.
Joyce Taggart passed away after a collision on the Clooney Road area of the Co Londonderry village on Thursday.
There was standing room only at Ballykelly Presbyterian church today for her funeral, where her two choirs gathered around her coffin to sing.
Rev Phil Houston extended his sympathy to her children Heather and David, their spouses and her grandchildren.
He told the congregation she was born in Londonderry and her first job was a seamstress. She met her husband, Joe, when she missed her bus and he took her home on the back of his motorbike.
The couple married in 1960 and she later nursed him through his illness.
"When Joe died Joyce was understandably heartbroken, but she did not allow grief to consume her but kept her eyes fixed on the Lord."
She was well known for her "Saturday run" during which she delivered all the scones she had baked.
"She had such a warm personality, so generous with her time and affections. She will be deeply missed at the many clubs and groups she was involved with.”
He acknowledged her life was abruptly cut short.
"Somehow at 84-years-old she still seemed in her prime, with her active body and mind she was younger than a lot of us! None of this feels right, because it isn't right. People were created to be forever, just like our creator.
"What has gone so wrong that these things happen in our world?"
He responded: "The human race is like a choir where each of us is singing our own tune rather than the good tune of God. We leave His way to go our way and as a result we see disharmony, brokenness and death. But God has made a way, the only way, for us to be re-tuned, through faith in Jesus Christ.”
In closing he referred to a parable Jesus told about this future wedding feast.
"In it, he says that many invitations were sent out but many good, religious sorts thought they would be lowering themselves to accept Jesus. Joyce was wiser than that, she accepted the invitation and she will take her seat."
To watch the full service click here.