Tributes paid to popular Omagh woman

RESIDENTS of Shandon Park lined the road to bid their farewell to popular Omagh woman and mother of three Marie Chesters.

Marie Chesters (72), nee O’Reilly, of Shandon Park, Omagh died on Saturday August 8 at South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

Marie’s funeral took place on Tuesday morning at Sacred Heart Church in Omagh with interment afterwards in Drumragh.

Marie was married to Tyrone football stalwart and Fermanagh and Western referee Pat Chester and was a mother of three – Edele, Patrick and Barry and a grandmother to five girls.

In her earlier life, Marie worked at the late John McCluskey’s dental surgery and before moving on to work at the dental department of the Health Centre.

Marie was also heavily involved in the Scouts and had a love for Irish dancing.

Following her death, football teams from across the county paid heartfelt tributes to Marie with Tummery Athletic, Omagh Hospitals FC and Strathroy Harps all expressing condolences to the Chesters family.

Due to the Covid restrictions, a small crowd of family and friends gathered at the church to bid farewell to Marie, but before the ceremony, neighbours and friends lined the road outside her home to offer condolences and support to the family.

Speaking during the homily, Fr Eugene Hasson said,

“Everyone who knew Marie knew that she was full of joy.

“A woman with a great sense of fun which was infectious.

“In her professional life, she was valued and appreciated in her place of work.

“Going to the dentist is not an experience that many people look forward to with much good anticipation but at least when you had someone there with the joy on her face that Marie Chesters had, it was bound to ease the pain and tension.

“Marie shared over 50 years of married life with Pat and their love brought three beautiful children into this world.

“In later years, they were gifted with five precious granddaughters.

“Marie brought joy to her work with the scouts many years ago and I have some lovely memories of that which I treasure deeply.

“If Marie meets the Lord, he will say to her ‘you have done a wonderful job in life Marie, come now and enjoy the benefits of it,” said Fr Hasson.

Marie is survived by her husband Pat, daughter Edele, sons Patrick and Barry, son in law Kenny, daughter in law Fiona, grandaughters Níamh, Aíne, Lucy, Orla and Ellie and siblings Imelda, Ursula, Dermot, Anne and Declan.