An Enniskillen man has been laid to rest after he passed away three days following the death of his son.
John James (Jack) Watson passed away peacefully just three days after his son Jonathan Watson died suddenly at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) on Wednesday, December 18.
He was laid to rest on Christmas Eve (Tuesday).
Jack served for 56 years as caretaker, sexton and Dean’s Verger at St. Macartin’s Cathedral, while Jonathan was an accomplished local piper and described as a “devoted church member.”
The Very. Rev Dean Kenneth Hall said the passing of the well-known father and son, just days apart, was a “double blow”.
Speaking to the congregation at Jack’s funeral at St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen on Tuesday, he said it was “strange” that he spent the night in the Cathedral.
“On this day (Christmas eve) the busiest day of the church’s calendar, Jack would have been spending all of his day in this cathedral while he was verger,” he said.
In their final days, Jack and Johnathan shared a special Holy Communion at the SWAH.
Dean Hall said that he asked Jonathan if he would like Holy Communion and he said he would love it, but wanted it with his dad.
“He arranged the communion, and we had a very special service in the SWAH on Friday (December 13), when we all received communion together,” he said.
“Little did we know that would be the last we would share. This shows that you never know what opportunity you may get to meet with people, and that it could be the last.”
Dean Hall said Jonathan was “loved by everyone he came into contact with”, while his late father was a man of “great professionalism and dignity”.
He told the congregation earlier this week that Jack served at approximately 9,000 services during his 56 years devoted to the church, including 492 weddings and 1,300 funerals.
“He [Jack] served the Cathedral faithfully for a period of 56 years, that is a record in itself — I doubt it equalises anywhere in the Church of Ireland,” said Dean. Hall.
“He loved his work in the church and over almost 56 years, Jack would have prepared the church for 9,000 regular services.
“That included 492 weddings when he was in the porch welcoming the nervous bride and groom to give them words of encouragement.
“He was also present at approximately 1,300 funerals to shake hands and express sympathy to the families of the bereaved.”
Jack was also a member of the Orange Order and former member of the UDR and B-Specials.
Dean Hall added that during Jack’s long-service as Verger at the cathedral, he met several esteemed guests, including Queen Elizabeth II.
Similarly, as a piper, Jonathan played for the President of Ireland on behalf of the Orange Order, and at Menin Gate in Belgium.
“Jack entertained visitors, from Prime Ministers, Secretaries of State, Taoiseachs and even Her Majesty The Queen when they came through the door, standing at the front door of the cathedral,” he said.
“He was a man of faith who was very kind and modest in every way and he could not have given the quality of service to the cathedral, the community and wider church without the support of Ethel and his family.”
Jack was a devoted husband of Ethel, dearly loved father of Mae (Neville), Carol (Leslie), Ruth (Robert), and the late Jonathan; a loving grandfather of Andrea, Wayne, Felicity, Michael, Sophie, Lauren and Timothy; and great-grandfather of Thomas, Brodie and Freddie.