Beloved Killen hairdresser and community stalwart laid to rest

HUNDREDS of mourners attended the funeral of a cherished Killen hairdresser fondly remembered as the ‘rock’ of her family.

Aghyaran native Helen Harvey (pictured) died peacefully at the Palliative Care Unit of Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex last Tuesday (July 8), following a short illness.

Her funeral service was held at St Patrick’s Church, Castlederg last Friday.

A daughter of the late Tena, Helen (65) is survived by her husband Patsy, sister Mary, daughters Elena, Eliza, Roís and sons Fintan and Aaron.

She was also the beloved granny of Georgia, Danny, Sáoirse, Fiádh, Ayda, Dáire and Dáithí.

Celebrating her Requiem Mass in the packed church, Rev Fr Thomas Canning CC described Helen as a ‘strong and brave’ woman during her illness.

“Helen’s death is certainly a great loss in itself, especially for many of us as a family and a community who knew her so well.

“The word ‘Happy’ makes us think about Helen, it would be very much associated with the way she was, and having so many happy memories with her is certainly a consolation in itself,” said Fr Canning.

“She was always known to be very happy, even during her illness. She was strong and brave, and worried more about her family than herself in her hardest stage of life.

“What made Helen so happy was that she always had her family around her, especially her husband Patsy who she married 45 years ago in St Eugene’s church.

“Helen was always regarded as being the rock of the family. She went out of her way to make so many people feel at home no matter who came to the house and as a hairdresser she always made her customers feel so much at home.

“She fell in love with the countryside, she enjoyed looking after animals and especially bringing animals and plants back to life.

“Her death is a sign of her life being revitalised in heaven, where she will always be with us in sprit,” added Fr Canning.

Following the requiem mass internment was held in the adjoining graveyard of St Patrick’s Church.

After her death, Drumquin Wolfe Tones GAA club posted the following tribute to Helen online.

A club spokesperson stated, “The executive committee and members of Drumquin Wolfe Tones would like to extend their sympathies to the Harvey family on the recent passing of Helen a past Committee Member and mother of past Senior Players Eliza and Elena and past youth players Fintan and Rois.

“Today we think of Helen’s husband Patsy, sons Fintan, Aaron, daughters Eliza, Elena, Rois and the extended Harvey and McGlinchey families.”