Margaret Ellen 'Peggy' Murdoch: 'Though no family stood beside her, she was not without witness. We were there' - More than 100 people attend funeral of woman who died without family

A notice of acknowledgement has now been published by Ronnie Thompson Funeral Directors after more than 100 people paid their respects at the service in Lisburn, despite many having never met her.

According to reports those who attended the service included neighbours, acquaintances, volunteers and strangers to remember Margaret Ellen 'Peggy' Murdoch.

An appeal was launched to find Margaret's next of kin after she passed away on 9 April in hospital, but no one came forward.

Margaret lived in Lisadian House Nursing Home in Hillsborough and El Shammah Nursing Home in Lisburn, but prior to that she lived in Wilson Street in Lisburn and Seacash Walk in Antrim.

The funeral director said they do not know about her personal circumstances other than that she had a twin brother who predeceased her. He said that Tuesday's service in Lisburn was arranged after the appeal triggered a groundswell of community compassion.

Her funeral notice – MURDOCH, Margaret Ellen (Peggy) - 9th April 2026 – in Ronnie Thompson Funeral Directors said she died ‘Peacefully at hospital, aged 81 years’

The NOTICE OF THANKS/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MURDOCH, Margaret Ellen (Peggy) (published today April 22) says: ‘Yesterday we gathered for a woman we did not fully know, whose days passed quietly, beyond the edges of our noticing.

‘And yet she was here. She woke to mornings, walked through seasons, felt the warmth of sun on her face, and the weight of harder days.

‘She carried her own thoughts, her own memories, her own small amounts of joy or sorrow, a whole world within her, as real and as deep as any other.

‘Though no family stood beside her, she was not without witness. We were there. Not because we knew her well, but because every life deserves to be marked, to be honoured, to be gently laid to rest with care.

‘In those moments yesterday, you became her people, the ones who paused, who spoke her into memory, who refused to let her passing go unacknowledged.

‘There is something beautiful in that. For a life does not need to be loud to have mattered. It does not need to be seen by many to have been real. She was here, she lived, and that was enough reason for us to stand together yesterday, in quiet respect, in shared humanity, in simple kindness.

‘May she rest now in the same peace we offered her here, held, at last in gentle remembrance’.

The acknowledgement adds: ‘A special word of thanks to Celebrant Roisin McFadden for conducting the Celebration of Peggy’s Life.

‘Thanks to the Staff of Lisadian Nursing Home and El Shammah Nursing Home for their unfailing care and attention.

‘A special thanks to Clara Wilson for the beautifully uplifting music, to Vivian McCullough for accompanying music on the organ and to Piper Mark Smyth for leading Peggy on her final journey.

‘Thanks to Ivor Kelly for speaking on behalf of the community and lending those beautifully crafted feline sculptures.

‘To those who provided the flowers, thank you, they were a beautiful addition to the service. To the pupils of various school across our city who not only attended the funeral but added to the service and then carried Margaret away from our premises.

‘It was so lovely to watch the next generation from both sides of our community with their arms around each others shoulders carrying Peggy along the Ballinderry Road. You have made us, your schools and this city very proud.

‘To all those who attended, your shared sense of kindness, humanity and community is something you should take immense pride in, the City of Lisburn is a better place when people like you step forward for a stranger.

‘To all those who sent donations, cheques payable to AgeNI c/o Ronnie Thompson Funeral Directors or online via www.ronniethompson.co.uk, sent letters and cards of sympathy, telephoned or helped in any way when we realised that Margaret had no next of kin.

‘Trusting this acknowledgement will be accepted by all as a token of our sincere appreciation.

"Two are better than one, because they have good return for their labour. If either of them falls, one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up”

According to the BBC, Joan Whyte who attended Margaret's funeral said she had stopped to watch a large crowd of mourners follow the coffin from the church.

She said that when she saw the crowd she thought the funeral was of "someone very important".

"And now I know what's going on, I think what's happening is very important," she said.

"People who came out today should be very proud of themselves, because it must be awful to think that, you know, if you die, there would be nobody there at your funeral."