Yvonne Ferns obituary: Devoted mother, wife, grandmother and friend

This article is one of a series about people who have died with coronavirus in Ireland and among the diaspora. Read more at irishtimes.com/covid-19-lives-lost. If you would like a friend or family member included in the series, please email liveslost@irishtimes.com

Yvonne Ferns

1950-2020

Yvonne Ferns would have been 70 in October and a birthday party to celebrate her significant milestone had been planned. A karaoke queen, she loved to sing and dance and was looking forward to the occasion.

Her family has decided to go ahead with the event in October as the memorial for a mother, wife, grandmother and friend who was always first up to the microphone and on the dance floor at weddings, parties and other family occasions.

To her seven grandchildren she was “crazy Nanny as she was lots of fun and always made them laugh,” says her daughter Jessica. And she devoted herself to her children.

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Born on October 28th, 1950, in the Oblates in Dublin's Inchicore, Yvonne Cooney was one of nine siblings. Brian, George, Margaret, Molly, Patty and Reaney survive her. Her sister Philomena and brother Joe predeceased her.

Growing up in 1950s Dublin she used to spend hours on the street playing marbles. She went to Goldenbridge school and like many of her generation went on to be a seamstress working in a number of factories over the years.

Yvonne was just 19 when she met her husband Paul Ferns at a dance in the Bluebell area on the Naas road. They got married a year later and moved out to Springfield, Tallaght, in 1972.

Paul worked as a glazier his whole life, installing doors and windows and retired only last year. Yvonne also worked throughout her married life in a number of jobs. “She worked as a cleaner and tea lady in Banking 365 at the Square in Tallaght for seven years and loved it,” says her daughter.

The couple had four children, Paul, Gillian, Jessica and Janet. A very kind woman, even then she was helping her neighbours. “She always had all the children coming in and out and minded lots of them throughout the years. She was always childminding somebody’s child on the street while they were working.”

Yvonne died on April 24th and even though restrictions were in place “the neighbours and friends were amazing and that makes it so much easier”.

Her hearse left St Mark’s church in Springfield after a service at 8am, which only 10 people could attend. The cortege came down to her home. “The neighbours all came out from their houses around the estate and all gave her a clap.

“It was really lovely and it was nine o’clock and they all made the effort to get up and get out. So they made it special.”