Obituaries
There is a light that will never go out...
It is with deepest regret that we announce the following death:
James Hillam
I have known Jim since moving into the parish in the early 1980s and joining the SVP. At that time there were four people in particular who were stalwart members of the Society, Jim, Tony Cosgrove, Frank Kerrigan and Ann Smith.
All except Tony had grown up in the parish and had a very deep knowledge of, and were well respected by the community.
Jim was a convert to the Church and was a very devout but quiet, unassuming and loyal churchgoer.
He was a very hardworking member both for the church and the SVP.
One evening in particular, around twenty years ago highlights how devoted he was to the Society. He and I arranged to visit this particular elderly couple, arranging to meet me outside at I guess 7.30pm. Jim arrived somewhat breathless having walked from his home some distance away. His car had given him problems but rather than trouble me to collect him or postpone the visit he decided to walk. During the visit he joined in the conversation normally but started to feel unwell, so much so that he felt he should return home. I took him home, even though he felt he was troubling me too much and we had a cup of tea together, but as he was feeling worse we agreed the hospital would be the best place to go.
Following the medical examination he was found to have had a heart attack and was kept in for a few days. He had obviously been in some pain but did not want to alarm people nor trouble them for assistance.
Whilst I was waiting in the corridor for the results of his examination who should come along but the President of the Hospital Conference, Peter Carty, so Jim had plenty of assistance whilst he was in hospital. I still believe that Peter had been guided down that corridor that evening for Jim was such a devout hardworking conference member. It was not long however before he was back out and on his visits once again.
Another of Jim's deeds was the church Garden Fete. Whilst the more extrovert and noisier! Members of the SVP ran the Coconut Shy, Jim would quietly be running the roll ball and hoop stalls, usually single handed and making quite an amount of money for the church in the process. Every year in all weathers Jim would do this with a smile on his face.
In later years Jim would be seen out cycling to different churches for morning weekday mass.
Jim was a true gentleman who I am sure never made an enemy in his life.
The packed church at his funeral being testimony to how people thought of him.
Tony Feeley