Margaret remembered at First Lisburn

A memorial service was held on Sunday at First Lisburn Presbyterian Church for the former minister’s wife who was killed in a car accident recently.
Rev Dr Gordon Gray and the late Mrs Margaret Gray pictured with their son Philip and his partner Rowan Ellis at a service in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Sunday 5th December 2010 to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr Grays Ordination.Rev Dr Gordon Gray and the late Mrs Margaret Gray pictured with their son Philip and his partner Rowan Ellis at a service in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Sunday 5th December 2010 to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr Grays Ordination.
Rev Dr Gordon Gray and the late Mrs Margaret Gray pictured with their son Philip and his partner Rowan Ellis at a service in First Lisburn Presbyterian Church on Sunday 5th December 2010 to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr Grays Ordination.

Margaret Gray, 78, died following a crash at Moyarget Road at Mosside just outside Ballymoney.

The service was led by the minister, Rev John Brackenridge and the thanksgiving address, was given by former Presbyterian Moderator the Very Rev Dr Godfrey Brown, Minister Emeritus of Ballycastle Presbyterian Church.

A congregational reflection was given by Mrs Joyce Moran.

The Very Rev Dr Godfrey Brown described her as a devoted mother and loving wife.

Margaret (nee Allen) was born in Ballymena and grew up in Lisburn. She was a former pupil of Wallace High Prep School and Ashleigh House where she became Head Day Girl.

She met Gordon at Queen’s University and the pair later married when he was Assistant Minister in Fisherwick. They had three sons Timothy, Phillip and Jeremy. She taught at Lisnagarvey Boys High School, Forthill Girls, and then became the first full time teacher in Prison Education in Northern Ireland. She taught in Hydebank, the Maze, Maghaberry, and Crumlin Road.

“Our paths have crossed on a great many occasions and our friendship has grown closer as the years went by,” said Dr Brown.

“She loved her work, and found great fulfilment in helping some very difficult prisoners. Some of them were people who had missed out on school, and had become victims of the disruptive forces at work in our society in the terrible years of the Troubles. She taught people of all levels of ability and attainment, whether loyalist or republican.

“Margaret sought no honours or accolades for herself, but was content to know that her work had made a difference in the lives of not a few of those whom she had taught; all of this she carried on alongside her work as a wife and a mother.”

He went on to say how supportive she was to her husband throughout his ministry at Lisburn.

The couple retired to Ballycastle where they both became heavily involved in the community.

“She was a woman of culture and learning. She set high standards for herself, yet she was modest,” he said.