Mrs. Sarah Dorothy Humphreys

Dorothy, as she always preferred to be called, was born on June 28, 1939, first child of Anthony and Mary Emily Lucy in Moybrone, Letterbreen.

Four years later, she was joined by Florrie, her younger sister. She attended Moybane National School, The Model School Enniskillen, and later, Enniskillen Technical college.

From an early age, Dorothy developed a love for farming. It was on the home farm working alongside Anthony, her father, that she acquired much of her vast knowledge of animal health and husbandry.

Her mother suffered a stroke at the young age of 52, and needed care for the next six years until she passed away. Dorothy worked as a clerical officer in the Cooperative, Enniskillen.

As a teenager, she would have attended socials in the local halls, and it was at one of these in Letterbreen Methodist Hall that she met her future husband, Willie Humphreys.

They were married on August 23, 1962. She moved into the Humphreys family home at Derryleck.

They had three children: Kenneth, Jenny and Pamela. Willie and Dorothy farmed together and developed a successful dairy farm.

In later years, they thoroughly enjoyed going on bus tours all over Ireland and the UK.

Dorothy had a passion for gardening, growing all sorts of flowers and vegetables. She competed regularly in Fermanagh County Show and collected the trophy for Rose of The Show on several different occasions.

After her daughter-in-law Cynthia’s untimely death in 2001, Dorothy immediately stepped into the role of helping to look after her two young grandsons, Stephen and Andrew, and became like their second mother.

Stephen and Andrew helped to keep Dorothy feeling young, and certainly helped her get over Willie’s death in 2008.

They gave her a focus in life, and in later years introduced her to technology. She was one of the few grannies that were WhatsApp- and Facebook-savvy!

She loved a party or any family gathering, and was one of the few of her generation that could mix freely with people of all generations.

After Willie’s death, Dorothy continued to go on bus tours accompanied by her daughter, Pamela, and enjoyed holidays with her daughter Jenny in her mobile home at Rossnowlagh.

Dorothy was a hardworking, quiet and genuine lady who always put everyone else before herself. No one ever heard her speak a wrong word. She always had a smile, and was a great encourager.

One of the most important aspects of Dorothy’s life was that she was totally involved in the life of Letterbreen Methodist Church. Over the years, she was part of the Leader’s meeting, the Circuit Quarterly Board, Communion Steward looking after the communion cloths etc., and she was involved with the MWI.

Up until her death she looked after the distribution of the Methodist Newsletter. Dorothy fully took part in prayer meetings and Bible Studies and even participated during the Covid-19 pandemic with the online Zoom meetings’ Bible Study on her iPad. She had a real, living faith.

Dorothy’s funeral service was largely attended in Letterbreen Methodist Church. The Bible readings were read by her daughter, Pamela, and grandson, Stephen. Kenneth paid tribute to his mum on behalf of the family.

The service was conducted by Rev. Sam Livingstone and can be viewed on Letterbreen Methodist Church’s Facebook page. The funeral directors were W. T. Morrison.

Dorothy will be sadly missed by her children, Kenneth (Alison), Jenny and Pamela (Trevor); grandsons Stephen and Andrew; her sister, Florrie Little, and her sister-in-law, Winnie Armstrong.