Widespread sadness has greeted the death of popular Portlaoise woman, Mary Seale.
“Mary was a woman of strength, determination and resilience. May she rest in peace,” Fr Paddy Byrne CC said.
He said it was particularly poignant that she passed away around the time of International Women’s Day.
“She was a remarkable woman. Obviously, her first vocation was to her family. Through her long sickness, she shared that with other through her empathetic outreach to her fellow cancer pilgrims,” he said.
“She never said she was dying from cancer, but that she was living with it,” he said.
She was a long-time supporter of the local Cuisle Centre and the Irish Cancer Soceity.
“She never took herself too seriously, and was very positive in spite of the disappointment and bad news she got on her illness,” he said.
Her death prompted a tribute from singer Trudi Lalor who said she was “a very dear friend who would be sadly missed”.
Mary was well-known in the country-music scene and travelled around the country to hear her favourite acts.
A resident of the Elms, Forest Park, Portlaoise, she was formerly from Clonkeen.
She was dearly loved mother to Declan, Kieran (Kilkenny) and Colin (O`Brien) and adoring grandmother to Caoimhe, Ava and Ciara. Deeply regretted by her loving family, sister Ann Weston, daughter-in-law Lorraine and nephews.
Reposal at her residence from 4 pm on Thursday with rosary at 8 pm. Removal took on Friday morning to SS Peter and Paul’s Church, Portlaoise, where a large crowd attended her requiem Mass at 12 noon. Cremation followed afterwards in Newlands Crematorium.
