christian burial

Samuel Galbraith
9th May 2025

Samuel Galbraith - Sammy (Samuel) Galbraith, beloved husband of the late Georgie, much loved father of Marsha, Sandra, Stuart and Lee, and loving father-in-law, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully at home on 6th May 2025. A celebration of his life took place at his home in Queens Avenue, and afterwards he was laid to rest beside his beloved Georgie at the family plot in Carnmoney Cemetery East.

Sammy was born in Dee Street, Belfast. He was a clever wee fella who passed his qualifying exams and was sent to Carrickfergus Grammar School. But it wasn’t for him - he didn’t like it much there and was sent back to Whitehouse School where he was happier. Football was his great love, and his claim to fame was that he was a better footballer than Georgie Best - he played against him when he was playing for Alpha Boys Club and George was playing for Cregagh Boys Club. Sammy then graduated to the White’s Lisburn Distillery, where he got the nickname Willo the Wisp, which means “impossible to catch”. But he was caught by the love of his life Georgie, and from then on he was known as Georgie Stewart’s husband; they were married on 12th August 1967. The marriage was blessed with four children. Sammy worked at Belfast Shipyard where he got the name Seagull Sammy - he used to share his sandwiches at lunch time and was surrounded by a great host of seagulls.

Family was everything to Sammy, and the family reminisced about many, many happy holidays at the family caravan in Portrush, with the whole clan consisting of Stewarts, Millers, Jacksons and Galbraiths. It was very hard for Sammy when Georgie passed away, and it was just the love and closeness of family which kept him going. His house was called the meeting place. It always had been for his own children and their friends, and latterly for grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. First stop before school for toast, and after school - well Sammy had a cupboard and fridge full of treats for his daily young callers. He was a real family man, strong-willed, straight-talking, appreciative of what anyone did for him. He loved his family fiercely and will be greatly missed. We commend him to God’s care and his family to His compassion.

Benjamin (Ben) White
11th April 2025

Ben, devoted husband to Pat and father to Colleen and Russell, passed away suddenly at home on Friday 4th April. A funeral service was held for him at Carnmoney Parish Church on Friday 11th April followed by his cremation at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Crematorium.

Ben was born in Belfast in 1939, being brought up on York Crescent along with his younger brother, Norman, attending Seaview Primary School and then Belfast High School where he developed a love for playing rugby.  On leaving school, Ben worked initially for the Belfast Telegraph before joining Shorts where he worked for 48 years before being made redundant a year before he was due to retire. He met his wife-to-be, Patricia, at the Orpheus Dance Hall in 1957, and 5 years later they were married on 6th June 1962 at St Katherine’s Church, living first in Collinward Crescent before moving to Cherry Meadows in 1986. That has been their family home ever since. Their two children, Colleen and Russell, were born in 1963 and 1968, and in the years that followed, Pat and Ben enjoyed a full life which included dancing, wine, pigeon racing (often a bone of contention with Pat) and trips around the world. Ben was also a keen rugby player and loved watching Ulster and Ireland play, both live and on the TV. In later years they enjoyed their grandchildren and more latterly their great-grandchild, Nate.

Ben commenced duties as churchwarden in April last year and was looking forward to this role, but sadly he was taken ill whilst on holiday and was airlifted to Athens where he was diagnosed with cancer and resulting heart strain. During his illness he never complained and in many ways it was a blessing when he died suddenly before the cancer really took hold of him.

Our prayers are with Pat, Colleen and Russell at this sad time.

Derek Brian Campbell
10th April 2025

Derek, loving father of Joanne, Amanda-Jayne and Glenn and devoted grandfather of Chloe, Ben, Sophie and Mia, passed away in Whiteabbey Nursing Home on Sunday 6th April. A funeral service was held for him at Carnmoney Parish Church on Thursday 10th April, followed by his burial at Ballyclare Cemetery.

Derek was born in Ballymoney in 1937 and was the oldest of 12 children, however the family moved to Clifton Park Avenue in Belfast in 1954. He left school at 14 and began working for Thomas S. Dixon as a wall and floor tiler but took up a Government offer in 1961 for skilled craftsmen to move to Australia to work on the Sydney Opera House. He was in Australia for 6 years before returning to Northern Ireland to visit his family, but he never returned because he met his wife-to-be Rachel (Ray) at a wedding and they were married in 1970 in Whiteabbey Congregational Church, living first in Monkstown before moving in 1977 to Richmond Crescent in Glengormley.

The family were blessed with 3 children: Joanne, Amanda-Jayne and Glenn and later 4 grandchildren Chloe, Ben, Sophie and Mia, and after retiring at 65, Derek joined Ray in looking after the grandchildren, playing a full part in their lives. In 2022, Derek was devastated when Ray died after a battle with lung cancer, but a new chapter of his life began when he joined the Baron Hall Men’s Group and also the Bowling Group at Carnmoney.  However, despite being dramatically healed from bladder cancer in his last few months, he became increasingly confused, and it was discovered that he had a tumour close to his brain. He spent 9 weeks in hospital and 4 in the nursing home before passing away peacefully on Sunday 6th April.

Derek was hugely popular and loved by everyone, and our prayers are with Joanne, Amanda-Jayne, Glen and their families at this sad time.

Carolyn Elizabeth Moore (née Earley)
4th April 2025

Carolyn, dear daughter of Shirley and the late Alex, sister to Michael, darling mother to Courtney and Kelsey and very proud nana to Rhea, passed away peacefully on 29th March 2025 surrounded by family and friends.  A celebration of her life took place in the Parish Church on Friday 4th April.   It was a difficult day for the family but a happy day too as they remembered Carolyn with love, joy and affection.  She was a unique and special character with whom we were privileged to share some of life’s moments.

Born on 24th February 1972 to Alex and Shirley Earley, Carolyn took up residence in Church Avenue.  It was then that her association with the Parish Church began.  She was baptised, confirmed, married and now buried from this Church.  Her children and grandchild were also baptised in the Parish.  She was in the Brownies, taught GB and Sunday School and ran the Badminton Club.  She was in the choir for a while and on one occasion sang the first verse of Once in Royal David City at the start of the Christmas Carol Service.  She loved that service and, as she could not attend last year, requested that “O Holy Night” was recorded for her so she could enjoy it from her hospice bed.  Over the past few years she was a regular attendee of the J.O.Y. Club, where her general knowledge and competitive streak saw her winning quiz after quiz.  Carolyn was a bright and highly spirited child, by her own admission.  On one occasion she was admonished for being inattentive in class (she was about seven years old at the time).  The teacher went to speak to the headmaster and instructed Carolyn and the class to remain seated and quiet until she returned.  What did Carolyn do?  She marshalled the class in a line behind her and marched them round the school - leading them like the Pied Piper!  That’s just one story about her young life, but it captures the essence of her - fearless, an activist, a doer.  She was straightforward and, as she told me herself, born with no filters!  She was diagnosed with cancer over three years ago and the prognosis was not good.  Did she lie down under it?  No.  Carolyn never let cancer define her.  She just got on with her life.  Enjoying every minute she had with family and friends.  Fundraising for Hope House - a facility which offers a respite break for cancer patients and their families.   She knit and encouraged others to knit stylish and colourful hats for chemotherapy patients.  That was on top of the many cardigans she knit for premature babies.

Apart from her love of family, Carolyn’s other great love was her cars.   Driving from she was seventeen, her first car bought for her by her daddy, she just loved driving.  It gave her a great sense of freedom and independence.  Of course she could travel to work in it as well as her road trips, firstly with friends, then her children and latterly with her mum and friend Jean and daughter.    Until she took ill she was able to drive down and look after her beloved Rhea.  If there was a road trip, Carolyn was driving.  It was with great reluctance that she gave up her last car just a few months ago.   She was generous, outgoing, sociable, popular and made friends easily.  Whether this was on holiday or in a cancer ward, Carolyn made friends everywhere. The tributes to her on Facebook numbered in the hundreds.   Her daughters described her as strict but fair and very loving.  “Mum taught us that we could anything we wanted to do, and be anything we wanted to be, if we set our mind to it”.   She was appreciative of friendship and what anyone did for her and she took nothing for granted.  She lived and loved quite fiercely, and she will leave a vacuum in many lives.  We commend her family to your thoughts and prayers.