Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth (Lillie) Mayers

Born in 1920, Lillie Emerson was the sixth of seven children born to Robert and Rebecca Emerson (née McKenzie) at Coa, Ballinamallard. She attended Coa National School where she was taught by Master Woods, before passing a scholarship exam to attend the Collegiate School, Enniskillen in 1933.

Lillie had always wanted to be a teacher and towards the end of her time at secondary school she did teaching practice at the Model School.

After working in the family shop in Coa, then in the accounts department of Chamber’s shop in Enniskillen, and in the Agricultural Department at Stormont, she found her first teaching post when a vacancy came up in Portavogie, Co. Down. For the two years that Lillie taught at Portavogie, she would cycle eight miles to Strangford, cross the mouth of the lough in a small ferry boat and cycle another eight miles to the school. Together with her younger brother, Norman, she took a teacher training course at Stranmillis College from 1945 to 1947. Lillie had just begun teaching in Ballytrim Primary School near Downpatrick when a vacancy arose at Killadeas, nearer to her home in Coa. Lillie remained at Killadeas until 1958 when she became Principal at Derryhillagh Primary School. This was closed in 1969, when she transferred to the Model School and she remained there until her retirement in 1979. Her best friend Maisie Orr also trained at Stranmillis and became a Primary School teacher. On June 17, 1953, there was a joint wedding in Enniskillen Methodist Church when Lillie married Tommy Mayers and Maisie married Harold Fawcett. Lillie and Tommy set up home in Ballydoolagh and had two daughters, Hilary and Mavis. Gardening was a lifelong enthusiasm which started as a child in Coa when Lillie’s father gave her some seeds and her own patch of garden.

There was nothing she enjoyed more than growing new plants from seeds and cuttings. She was always very generous with her plants and produce, giving much away to friends and neighbours. Lillie had her first greenhouse in 1965 and grew tomatoes almost every year until 2011.

At Ballydoolagh she grew vegetables and soft fruits and made many kinds of jam and jelly. Following a house fire, she moved to Enniskillen where she soon produced a brilliant display of flowers and shrubs as well as tomatoes and soft fruit. In the Spring and Summer months Lillie could be found out in the garden tending her plants and chatting with neighbours. In the darker days of Autumn and Winter she kept herself busy knitting scarves, hats, slippers, cushion covers, hanger covers and cardigans for her nieces, daughters and granddaughters. She enjoyed doing puzzles and crosswords and she loved to try to beat the contestants on Countdown as she excelled in mental arithmetic.

Lillie had a great interest in her family tree and she spent many happy hours compiling information about anybody who was linked to her family. Two years ago she was delighted to meet a long lost relative, Paddy Patrick, from New Zealand. Paddy is a great-granddaughter of Lillie’s aunt who had emigrated to New Zealand in 1885. While she remained fit, she enjoyed holidays to Europe with her extended family.

Even in later years Lillie never lost her interest or skill in teaching. She taught her granddaughter, Megan, how to play draughts and as recently as December, 2013 she was playing draughts and Ludo with her grand-daughter, Kirsti, and great-grandson, Corey.

The removal took place from Ballycassidy House Funeral Home to Ballinamallard Methodist Church on May 2, 2014.

The following day the Service of Thanksgiving was conducted by the Rev. Ken Lindsay. The hymns ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ and ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ were chosen by Lillie herself.

Interment was at Breandrum cemetery and the funeral arrangements were by Mr. Austen Stinson of W.T. Morrison, Enniskillen. Donations in lieu of flowers were directed to an Osteoporosis fund c/o W.T. Morrison.