Well-known Olive from Spence’s shop passes away

Olive Elliott (nee Spence), from Straid Road near Ballycastle, died on Saturday December 3 and her funeral service took place at the Presbyterian Church in the town.

She was due to have turned 69 today (Tuesday December 13).

Olive worked for over half a century in her family business, Spence’s, in Ballycastle’s Castle Street.

The store is one of the longest established and best known businesses in the town and she was legendary with customers.

She was described as being “larger than life” and as having “the gift of the gab” and all of her chit-chat was delivered in her distinctive north Antrim accent.

Her husband Jim said: “Olive worked 53 years in the shop. Everybody liked her and she spoke to everybody. People would have confided in her and told her a lot of stories and she was well-known in Ballycastle and beyond.

“She was always doing something and keeping busy and if she wasn’t working in the shop she was working hard around the home. She was a great lady”.