Friends Victor and Ernie die within a day of each other

When Victor Law died at 90 it was a safe bet that his firm friend Ernie Moses (89) wouldn’t be far behind. And sure enough in less than 24 hours after retired joiner Victor’s demise Ernie, a wartime soldier had also passed over. The Crumlin men had been friends for over 50 years.

“It was as if Victor was standing at the Pearly Gates beckoning to his pal to join him,” says Victor’s daughter Pam Moses.

“Ernie who was my husband Ken’s father and Victor were always trying to outdo one another,” Pam explains. “They were rivals for years– but in the nicest possible way. Their deaths were so close; perhaps Ernie did decide it was time to catch up on his mate.”

Victor, a native of Newcastle, Co Down and Ernie, originally from Seskinore, Co Tyrone, cemented their friendship more than 50 years ago when they and their families were settled inDundesert, Knotts Corner close to Crumlin.

By this time son-of-Ernie, Ken Moses and daughter-of- Victor, Pam had married.

Close friends Victor and Ernie worshipped at St Catherine’s Parish at Aldergrove where Ernie was in the Select Vestry for nearly 50 years and where they both attended the Men’s Fellowhip.

“And down the years the pals Victor and Ernie worked side by side helping to keep St Catherine’s which is 300 years old shipshape”, adds Arthur Molyneaux, the parish glebe warden.

So it was appropriate that their funeral services were held in the church they loved. Rector William Orr and Canon Sam McComb conducted Victor Law’s service first. And next day the clergymen returned to say thanks too for Ernie’s life.

The burials took place to Crumlin Cemetery where the two friends were described by the Rev Orr as “characters, St Catherine’s and the village of Crumlin couldn’t afford to lose.” Victor and his wife Mabel (nee Crowe) were married for more than 50 years until her death in 1997. He is survived by his daughters Pam and Lorraine Greer and by his grandchildren Nigel, Julie and Ashley and great grandchildren Shannon, Bradley, Erin, Ed and Emily.

Andrew Ernest (Ernie ) Moses ran away from home in Seskinore to join the RAF when he was 17 in wartime 1942. He eventually transferred to the Army and served as a Corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals in Italy and Austria. Ernie met his future wife Joyce (nee Fouracre) when he was still in uniform based at Milton Heights Army Base in Oxfordshire and he brought her home as his bride after their wedding in 1946. He and Joyce had been married for 44 years when she died in 1990.

He is survived by sisters Sally, Evelyn and Molly and sons Ken, and Roy and grandchildren Nigel, Julie, Andrew and Philip and grandchildren Shannon, Ed, Emily, Jack and Alfie. Two brothers David and Bertie pre-deceased Ernie. “Ernie enjoyed an occasional glass of Guinness so after the funeral friends and relations drank a toast in the black stuff to both him and his old mate Victor,” says his son Ken. “They were probably looking down, giving us their approval.”

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