Obituaries

PATRICIA FERGUSON

PATRICIA FERGUSON

It was with much sadness that the School community heard of the passing of Patricia Ferguson in the early hours of Thursday 10th June 2021. Patricia McKinney, as she then was, was appointed in August 1998, as a Clerical Officer, working in the School’s General Office under the supervision of Mrs Roberta Lynn. [Mrs Lynn had previously taught Patricia her word-processing/typing skills at evening classes in Glengormley High School.] On the retirement of Mrs Lynn in 2003, Patricia was promoted to Office Manager, a position she held until ill-health forced her to take leave of absence. Patricia’s appointment to the School Office largely coincided with the introduction of the Computerised Local Administration of Secondary Schools, CLASS, the fore-runner of C2K and SIMS. Patricia’s knowledge of this system was second to none. From recording attendances to School Comms to Parentmail to SIMS Parent to EMAs, Patricia mastered them all with relative ease. In my years as Vice-Principal I know that I relied upon her to get me out of tricky situations, when using SIMS, more than once, especially when it came to end-of-year reporting and the dreaded Department of Education school census! Patricia’s involvement in School extended far beyond the School Office. Her three children all attended B.R.A. She immersed herself in the wider school life taking part in many of the Staff Revues, 19

a Staff trip to Malawi in 2003, a Staff ice-bucket challenge, end of term festivities ……the list is endless. Aside from her efficient running of the School Office, Patricia will be remembered by everyone who met her for her friendship and loyalty. She was always ready to help anyone who had a problem; she was a listening ear for those who needed it, a baker of extremely tasty chocolate cakes, coffee lover and a break-time cross-word solver alongside James Cleland. Patricia was diagnosed with Small Cell cancer in September 2020. She underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy stoically, never seeming to It was with much sadness that the School let her illness get her down. I know that she was immensely grateful to friends who visited, phoned, sent cards, flowers or presents. community heard of the passing of Patricia Ferguson in the early hours of Thursday 10th June 2021. Patricia will be much missed by her family, her friends, her colleagues in the School Office, the Leadership Team with whom she worked closely, Patricia McKinney, as she then was, was all of the teaching and non-teaching Staff but appointed in August 1998, as a Clerical Officer, most of all by her children Christopher, Ciara and working in the School’s General Office under Meghan and her grandchildren Paige, Katie, and the supervision of Mrs Roberta Lynn. [Mrs Lynn had previously taught Patricia her wordJames to whom she was devoted. processing/typing skills at evening classes in L.C. Glengormley High School.] On the retirement of Mrs Lynn in 2003, Patricia was promoted to Office Manager, a position she held until illhealth forced her to take leave of absence. Patricia’s appointment to the School Office largely coincided with the introduction of the Computerised Local Administration of Secondary Schools, CLASS, the fore-runner of C2K and SIMS. Patricia’s knowledge of this system was second to none. From recording attendances to School Comms to Parentmail to SIMS Parent to EMAs, Patricia mastered them all with relative ease. In my years as VicePrincipal I know that I relied upon her to get me out of tricky situations, when using SIMS, more than once, especially when it came to end year reporting and the dreaded Department of Education school census! Patricia’s involvement in School extended far beyond the School Office. Her three children all attended B.R.A. She immersed herself in the wider school life taking part in many of the Staff Revues, a Staff trip to Malawi in 2003, a Staff ice-bucket challenge, end of term festivities ……the list is endless. Aside from her efficient running of the School Office, Patricia will be remembered by everyone who met her for her friendship and loyalty. She was always ready to help anyone who had a problem; she was a listening ear for those who needed it, a baker of extremely tasty chocolate cakes, coffee lover and a break cross-word solver alongside James Cleland. Patricia was diagnosed with Small Cell cancer in September 2020. She underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy stoically, never seeming to let her illness get her down. I know that she was immensely grateful to friends who visited, phoned, sent cards, flowers or presents. Patricia will be much missed by her family, her friends, her colleagues in the School Office, the Leadership Team with whom she worked closely, all of the teaching and non-teaching Staff but most of all by her children Christopher, Ciara and Meghan and her grandchildren Paige, Katie, and James to whom she was devoted.