Bride’s brave mum passes away day after daughter’s big day

Mum-of-four Joyce Kane lost her long battle with illness on Saturday 30 April.

The previous day daughter Denise tied the knot with Coleraine man Chris Holmes.

Back in December the Times carried a story about Denise and Chris’ wedding taking place on the same date as the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The local couple’s big day had initially been pencilled in for April 29 2012.

But Denise revealed this was brought forward 12 months when her mum’s health took a turn for the worse.

“My mum had been very sick in the Royal Victoria Hospital and it gave me a real scare,” she told the Times in December.

“I told Chris that if anything had happened to her I didn’t think I could have gone on with the wedding as it would break my heart.

“My father has been sick recently too and this tough time made us realise that life is too short to waste time”.

On Friday 29 April Chris and Denise said ‘I do’ at Toberkeigh Prebyterian Church prior to a reception at Lisanoure Castle in Loughgiel.

Leading up to the wedding, Denise’s mum became very poorly and was unable to attend.

But the pair said her presence was very much felt as they exchanged vows.

Sadly Joyce passed away the next day at her mother Maureen’s home.

She was laid to rest on Tuesday adjacent to Coleraine Free Presbyterian Church.

Last week Denise said her mother had held on right until the end.

“Chris and I had a service in the room with my mum in my heart and we were married with her,” said Denise.

“Sadly the next day she passed away and went to heaven.”

A death notice in Tuesday’s News Letter described Joyce as: “dearly loved wife of John, much loved mother of Denise, Denver, David and Peter, loving grandmother to Kane, Bobby, Josh and Cameron.”

It continued: “Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her loving family and entire family circle.”

Another notice said of Joyce: “Dearly loved daughter of Maureen and the late Robert, loving sister of Geoffrey and Ian, dear sister-in-law of Ann and devoted aunt to Gareth, Linzi and Johnathan, lovingly remembered and sadly missed.”