‘SHE loved her family. It was the centre of her life – that and living here in West Cork.’
Stephen Dukelow gave the eulogy at the funeral service for his mother Sandra, who died at the age of 83 on Saturday, August 10th, and in front of her family and her friends he relayed how one woman could touch the lives of many.
Sandra had been involved in compiling the Durrus notes for The Southern Star since the column began, 21 years ago.
‘She was a great support for people who were going through hard times,’ Stephen said of his mother, who was known for her work with the Gulf Corporation, her unstinting service to the Church of Ireland, and, on a personal level, her love of fashion, cooking and baking.
Sandra, née Gooding, was born in Wiltshire in the UK, lived in Bath during her childhood, and was educated in Germany. She moved to Bantry to work for the Gulf Corporation in 1975 and remained an integral part of that firm until 1982.
It was while working with Gulf that she met her husband, Richard, and together they moved to Murreagh in Durrus.
Sandra was deeply involved with the Church of Ireland and was of tremendous assistance to Canon Paul Willoughby of St James.
She worked, too, with Christian Aid and was one of the organisers of the annual walk on the Sheep’s Head peninsula.
Stephen said his mother was very involved in her community and was much loved locally. Canon Gillian Wharton, who preached at the funeral service, said Sandra was a woman of extraordinary faith.
