Larne woman who was devoted to her family, friends and church

Anne died from Covid 19, contacted when she was in hospital for surgery, and her funeral was private in accordance with current government restrictions.

Elizabeth Anne Wilson was born in the Moy, Co Tyrone, on August 18, 1953, the first daughter of Maureen and Sidney Wilson.

When Anne was 13 years old her family moved to Larne, where her father had been offered a new job. She quickly settled into her new home at Cairndhu and new school and began to make many life-long friendships.

A few years later the family moved to Garron Walk, while Anne continued her schooling at Greenland Secondary School and then Larne Technical College.

She secured her first job at Johnson and Cullen dentists and among the many patients she met there was her future husband Bill. Romance blossomed and the couple were married on August 2, 1975, in Larne Gospel Hall and started their new life together at Shane House in the town.

Anne began a new job as a secretary at the GEC plant in the town and a few years later moved to Larne Health Centre to become receptionist for Dr Shanks.

A year after their marriage the couple were delighted when their first daughter Michelle arrived and the family moved to a new home at Linn Road.

Tragedy struck the Wilson family when Anne’s younger brother Lindsay was tragically killed in an accident at the age of 16 years and Anne’s caring nature was to the fore as she supported her mother and father during the dark months ahead.

The family turned a corner when Anne and Bill had the opportunity to move to Garron Walk and when Anne’s brother Gareth arrived into their lives. Anne’s own family was completed with the arrival of second daughter Sarah-Anne a year later.

Tribute was paid at her funeral to Anne as a wife and mother; she took her role very seriously and made sure Bill and their girls were well loved and cared for.

When her brother-in-law Geoff died in 2000 she stepped in and supported her sister and even though totally devastated by the death of her sister several years later, Anne took her children Jan and Scott under her wing and became a ‘new mum’ to them.

Anne also welcomed her two son-in-laws into the family, treating them like her own sons, and when grandchildren Bethany, Robbie, Becky, Jack, Harry and Lily arrived they quickly became the most important thing in her life. She loved them dearly and was proud of each of them, as was evidenced from photographs and Facebook posts.

When her mum passed away, Anne found it difficult but kept the family going with a smile, looking after her father and continuing to devote all her time to her precious family, especially in the past year to her husband, Bill.

Aside from her family, she was devoted to her friends, her crafts, her church and her position in the St Cedma’s Music Group and St Cedma’s singers.

Sadly Anne was to be a victim of the Covid pandemic and passed away in the City Hospital on January 19. She will be remembered as a lady who greeted everyone with a smile and who loved to chat.

Her funeral took place at Larne cemetery, the cortege making its way from Ramsey’s funeral parlour past her home at Curran Road.

Anne is survived by her sorrowing husband Bill, daughters Michelle and Sarah-Anne, sons-in-law Jim and James, and their families, her father Sidney, her brother Gareth, and niece Jan and nephew Scott. She was predeceased by her sister Deirdre and brother Lindsay.

Click here to read: Larne family’s heartbreak over loss due to Covid pandemic

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