“Words can’t describe the heartache we feel” in family tribute to beautiful Angie McKeown

‘A beautiful girl inside and out’ Angie died suddenly while at university in England earlier this month.

Her devastated family turned to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to have her remains returned to her native Bleary, near Lurgan.

After her funeral on Monday, her sister Naomi set up a GoFundMe page to help repay the kindness of Colin Bell and his family after bringing their beloved Angela home.

And within two days the fund received almost £14,500 in donations. A collection had been made via the funeral director, J McLearnon and Sons, gathering more than £6k, bringing a total so far of more than £20k for the Trust.

Angie’s sister Naomi said the family could not thank Colin Bell and all at the Kevin Bell Trust enough for their help and kindness over the past few weeks. She also thanked the hundreds of people who had donated to the fund.

Naomi explained that Angie was at Writtle University College in Chelmsford, Essex when she died suddenly on April 11.

Their world was turned upside down.

“We were in shock. We lost our beautiful Angie and didn’t know where to turn. Our sister Patrice had heard of the Kevin Bell Trust and contacted them. We just gave them a few details and they were able to organise everything,” said Naomi.

“They were really good and went beyond the call of duty. What they did for us we will never be able to repay.”

Angie, a former pupil of Lurgan Model PS and Lismore Comprehensive, always had a love for animals and at one stage had four horses.

Animal mad, she worked at Lurgan Veterinary Clinic on the Banbridge Road.

Naomi said: “She has one horse, two cats and three dogs. She loved animals and when working at the vets she would sometimes take a cat home that hadn’t been claimed. My dad said we are going to end up with a zoo. She looked after all her animals so well.

Angie, who also went to Belfast Met before heading to uni, was described as ‘the life and soul of the party’.

“She was always up for a laugh, bubbly and full of fun. She would have talked the legs of anyone.

“She had friends groups everywhere and was very vibrant and outgoing. No one could explain why or what it was about her, but she was special.

“You could never be cross with her. She was so loving and caring.”

She loved going on holidays and taking walks with her dogs.

And she enjoyed going to stock car racing with her brother Drew.

Her heartbroken parents, siblings and boyfriend are devasted at her loss and very thankful for the kindness and generosity of everyone since her passing.

Her funeral was on Monday (April 19) at St John’’s Church, Lylo.

If anyone would like to donate to the GoFundMe page, please follow the link here--

Editor’s Message:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.