Kerry Jane McFadden-Newman Portush: Funeral hears tributes to 'selflessly giving' reserve army officer who was also a nurse, mother, and beloved wife

Lt Colonel Kerry Jane McFadden-Newman passed away peacefully in hospital on Monday last week after a sudden illness.

She had served as an army nurse for most of her life - where she met her husband, Guy, another healthcare professional.

Kerry switched to reserve status several years ago to be with her family, and was working as a nurse in NI but still served as a reservist.

She is survived by her husband Guy, children Caoimhe, Fionn and Teagan, parents Alan and Maggie and sister Noni.

Tributes were also paid to her by the Portrush Theatre Company group, where she was an enthusiastic member.

Canon Peter McDowell of Holy Trinity Church Portrush told mourners: "Kerry lived a full and loving life and touched so many through her energy, her kindness, her goodness, her sense of service and the common good."

She was educated at Dominican College and trained as a nurse in Bath Nursing College where she played rugby, breaking her leg and nose.

Her first expression of independence was when, aged nine, she hopped on a bus to Ballywalter to help her aunty.

Kerry enlisted in the army in 2000 and was commissioned as an officer in 2003, going on to serve in Kosovo, Iraq and twice in Afghanistan, where she established a field hospital in a forward operating base during her second tour.

Kerry’s faith meant "a great deal to her” he said, as she was a lifelong member of the church and her children were all baptised there.

"Sometimes in life, we are left with so many unanswered and unanswerable questions,” he said.

As he sat with her husband and children in hospital after her death, they took comfort from the fact that other families were waking up to an organ match as she had resigned the donor register recently as "an expression of her selflessly giving nature" , he added.

Her friend Brenda Semple, who also shared a passion for panto, said he "burst into this world" on 2 February 1974 and that her earliest words were, "I do it!"

She first graced the stage at only 22 months old when she “bounded on in her nappy and a pair of bunny ears and that giant smile of hers and stole the show. She’s been stealing the show ever since."

Colonel Mark Sheridan told mourners she would have been made a Commanding Officer soon.

She spent two "gruelling" tours in Afghanistan for which she was awarded the prestigious Associate Royal Red Cross, presented by then Prince Charles at Buckingham palace.

He said that toward the end of her full time career she was commanded to go overseas at short notice.

She could have opted out due to her infant child and because her full time career was ending.

"But Kerry wouldn’t hear of it, instead arguing that if she didn’t go someone else would just have been forced to go instead," he said.

In 20023 she was promoted to Lt Col in 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment, an elite unit and the only regiment of paramedics in the British Army.

Five of her former commanding officers attended the service.