Jody Keenan will be ‘deeply missed’ by all who knew her – priest

By Rebecca Black, PA

A classroom assistant who died while waiting for an ambulance in Newry at the weekend will be deeply missed by all who knew her, her funeral heard.

Jody Keenan died in the early hours of Sunday after collapsing in the Trevor Hill area of the city.

She had worked at St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook for 10 years.

WATCH: The funeral has taken place of 39-year-old teaching assistant Jody Keenan at the Church of the Assumption, Drumalane. She died in the early hours of Sunday morning, while waiting for an ambulance crew to arrive in Newry from Belfast. pic.twitter.com/QN6BpHIBkz

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 13, 2022

Pupils from the school formed a guard of honour outside the Church of the Assumption, Drumalane today ahead of her funeral service.

Mourners heard she lived with pain for a large amount of time in her life, but was determined to maintain her friendships and kept an interest in her friends.

They heard she cared for people, and worked in a special school before moving to St Paul’s, where she was described as “eager to help others”.

“Our hearts are naturally sad and sore.

“Jody will be deeply missed by all who knew her especially by her family,” a priest told the funeral.

Earlier this week it emerged that the Police Ombudsman is to assess the circumstances around Ms Keenan’s death.

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Jody Keenan out of the Church of the Assumption, Drumalane, following her funeral