Jean Cromwell, charity stalwart, fondly remembered by Armagh community
Jean Cromwell, a 73-year-old native of Enagh, Markethill, has left a lasting legacy of kindness and charity in Armagh, where she ran the Cancer Shop and supported numerous causes.
First published: 1988
Jean will be fondly remembered
There are few people in Armagh who have done more for charity than Miss Jean Cromwell, whose sudden death has evoked much sorrow and regret all over the city and much further afield.
Her charitable streak, allied to her exemplary volunteerism, singled her out as no ordinary person. Indeed, for years she had become something of an institution.
The path to her little Cancer Shop in Abbey Lane was well-trodden, with people of all ages and backgrounds keen to support her very worthy cause.
Aged 73, she was a native of Enagh, Markethill, but had moved to Armagh some years back and her home was at Umgola Row. At an early age, Jean worked as a housekeeper and auxiliary nurse at Tower Hill Hospital.
On retirement, she carried out voluntary work in the geriatric unit at Tower Hill, but was better known for raising thousands of pounds in her Cancer Shop. Combat Cancer and the NI Hospice were the main beneficiaries of her charitable deeds. Prior to that, she had worked for 15 years in the Oxfam Shop in Armagh.
Jean was awarded the Gold Medal for her work on behalf of the Ulster Cancer Foundation Fund, and was also associated with Meals on Wheels and a member of the Presbyterian Women’s Association.
Her caring and supportive nature has been showcased in a lifetime of kindness, thoughtfulness, and consideration for others—now all part of a wonderful legacy.
She is survived by her brother Samuel and sister-in-law May, Armagh; and nieces Nell, Armagh, Vivien, New Zealand, and Marie, Markethill.
Her funeral was to the Mall Presbyterian Church, where Rev. Dr. Joseph Thompson officiated. Burial followed in the New Cemetery.