DEATH OF PHYLLIS DOHERTY

 Phyllis Doherty

1926 ~ 2012

I know the Lord is always with me.
    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
    My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead
    or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 16:8 ~ 11 

A RACE WELL RUN

 There were emotions of sadness and joy yesterday at the Baptist Church in Limerick as a capacity crowd gathered together to celebrate the life and witness of  Phyllis Doherty from Adare.Phyllis passed away to her eternal reward after a short illness and a long life dedicated to her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

 I remember her from my years in Mallow Street Hall Christian fellowship where she faithfully worshipped and served and in the words of Peter Child’s  ( Church Elder) became an unofficial Elder in the little assembly.

 My abiding memory of Phyllis was on my visits to Graigue farm in Adare where she lived with husband Bill and a houseful of children ( 7 in all I think). As a young Believer I was often a guest there, where Bill supplied the lively conversation while Phyllis always lavished the table with irresistibly wholesome fare. As her daughter Jean recalled at the Service of Thanksgiving, her mother loved people and always kept an open house for visitors. Only occasionally did she deviate from her welcoming persona, like the night a couple rang from Limerick and more or less  demanded to visit, at 10 pm ! Even though the family had retired to bed it was all hands on deck and a slightly forced smile of welcome greeted their nocturnal visitors. 

Her marriage to Bill was recalled as an enduring love affair. From an early age Bill had his eye on her but propriety demanded that he would wait until she was 21 to formally ask her out. They suited each other well and worked together to raise a family and become involved in a wide variety of work for the Lord, Jean, her daughter revealed to the congregation that Bill tenderly referred to Phyllis as his ‘Peach’

.The Gideons International was an organisation that she became hugely involved with and her passion for the placement of Bibles in Nursing Homes and hospitals remained right up to the end of her life. Her son Hughie recalled this story that summed up her zeal for the sharing of God’s Word. While in hospital Phyllis told one of  the family that there was a box of Testaments under the stairs at home and she wanted them brought in to give to the doctors and nurses who were looking after her. The New Testaments were duly brought to the hospital but sadly she had slipped away, the family fulfilled their mothers wishes and distributed the books amongst the staff. It was my personal privilege to have known her and  to attend this Service of Thanksgiving for a saint of God who had run the race well and is now enjoying the presence of her Lord in glory. May her life and example inspire all who walk the pilgrim path to keep on keeping on and endure to the very end.

Gerard O'Shea