106 year old Anna was 'remarkable'

How you begin to put a life that spanned a century and six years, into words, is impossible.

Born in 1904 on July 13, Anna Jane McCook was the from the townland of Tamneymore on the Ballerin Road, near the blue gate of Garvagh Forest.

She was the third child of David and Rachel McCook. Anna’s sister Minnie was the eldest, being eight years older that her, and her brother Jim was four years her senior.

Growing up for Anna must have been tough, as she lost her mother at the age of 2, leaving her father Jim, to rear Anna and her brother and sister.

After finishing school, at the foot of the town, by the age of 14, Anna was to work on the home farm.

In 1941 Anna married Anthony Gibson, of Gortfad, on the other side of the forest.

Life was tough and simple, but happy in those days. They managed to make do without running water and electricity. They kept a few cows for milk, rearing pigs and selling eggs from hens was how they made their living.

Anthony and Anna were to be blessed with one daughter, Dorothy, who completed the family. Gortfad remained their home for 46 years until 1987, when Anthony and Anna moved into the town to Huston Crescent, Balinameen, where again they were blessed with loving and supportive neighbours and friends.

In 1991, Anthony died after 50 years of marriage. Anna remained in their home well into her 101st year. For the past four years Anna had resided at Garvagh Care Home and her family are thankful to the nursing staff for their love, care and attention shown towards Anna in her time there.

Anna’s life spanned almost all of the 20th century, she lived through two world wars, the introduction of the model T Ford, the sinking of the Titanic, the invention of television and the introduction of water and electricity.

Anna was never far travelled in her life, she had been to the ‘Port’ and to Coleraine, but she’d never been to Belfast, or crossed the border. She was a life long member of First Garvagh Presbyterian Church, and she worshipped there for as long as her health and mobility allowed. Anna lived throughout the ministry of six ministers.

The Lord was to bless Anna with a great health and strength, clarity of mind and memory. She had an almost photographic memory for people, photographs and dates, and her little notebooks contained jottings of facts, dates and happenings down through the years. Anna was a devoted and hard working wife and mother, she was a loyal and faithful friend to many in the town of Garvagh, and the outlying area and she was a much loved resident of Garvagh Care Home.

The Rev Mark Donald and the Rev Stanley Lindsay officiated at her funeral. In his address, Rev Donald contrasted Anna’s life with the biblical account of the prophetess Anna, noting that they were both women of incredible age, perseverance, devotion and who lived their lives waiting for God.

Anna is survived by her daughter Dorothy and son in law Bertie Fleck of Ahoghill.

An era of history in Garvagh has come to an end, when the Lord came home to Anna.