Meta Howe, of Drummurry Gardens, Ballinamallard, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on June 19, 2014, at The South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, following a short Illness.

Although born in Derrygonnelly on May 11, 1934, Meta grew up in the Gatehouse of Lisgoole Abbey, the eldest child of Jim and Hanna Black. She attended the neighbouring Old Jones’ Memorial National School. Upon leaving she attended Enniskillen Technical College before taking up clerical employment in Anderson’s Hardware, Church Street, Enniskillen and then with Fairbairns Hatchery on the Tempo Road.

Following her marriage to Henry Howe in 1958 she resided in Cornagrade and the Sligo Road where her children Thelma, Robert and David were born. Meta and Henry were active members of St. Macartin’s Church of Ireland and Meta was prominent in the Mothers’ Union an affiliation she carried on when she became a member of Maghercross Parish when the family moved to Summerhill, Ballinamallard, in 1975.

Following Henry’s death in 1981, Meta with the support of her family, good friends and neighbours continued to run the farm whilst raising her children, not to mention learning to drive through necessity. In 1989 Meta moved to Drummurry Gardens, Ballinamallard. This allowed her more recreational time to pursue her many and varied interests including gardening, travel, the care of others and in latter life a passion for Ulster Rugby.

As part of her recent 80th birthday celebrations Meta travelled for the second time this season to Ravenhill for an Ulster match, where she received a surprise presentation of a bouquet of flowers from one of her heroes, Ruan Pienar.

Her funeral service, conducted by the Rev. Brian Harper, assisted by her lifelong friend Fr. Brian D’Arcy was held in Maghercross Parish Church. She was interred at Craghan Cemetery.

Meta is survived by her daughter Thelma and husband Ronnie (Lanark); son Robert, wife Pamela and grandchildren Philip and Lisa (Summerhill); son David (Bucharest); and sisters Anna Wheeler, Hampshire, and Mabel Greaves, Enniskillen. She was predeceased by her parents Jim 1981 and Hanna 1996, brother Jim Black in 1966, her sisters Flo Fyfe 1997 and Lorna Coalter 2005. The funeral arrangements were by Funeral Directors, S.R. Elliott and Sons, Enniskillen.