CELTIC footballer Tony Mowbray's wife Bernadette, who died on New
Year's Day after a five-year battle against cancer, was buried
yesterday.
Family, friends, and Mowbray's Celtic team mates filled St John's
Church in Barrhead for a requiem Mass conducted by parish priest Canon
James O'Connell and attended by Bishop John Mone of Paisley. A group of
Celtic fans also gathered outside the church to pay their respects.
Canon O'Connell gave thanks for the life of Mrs Mowbray, 26, who
married Mowbray nine months ago. He said ''no amount of reasoning''
could take away the sadness caused by her death.
Many mourners were in tears and Mowbray, the 31-year-old defender who
joined Celtic from Middlesbrough in 1991, looked pale and drawn as a
single candle flickered on top of his wife's coffin.
Father Benedict O'Keeffe, the Paisley priest who conducted Tony and
Bernadette's wedding last Easter, also attended the funeral service, and
paid a special tribute in which he said she had borne her illness with
''courage and dignity''.
The couple were due to marry last June but brought forward their
wedding knowing they would have only a few months together after
Bernadette's cancer was diagnosed as terminal. Tony was at her bedside
when she died.
Most of the non-playing staff and several Celtic directors also joined
mourners.
A small crowd watched as the funeral cortege left for St Conval's
Cemetery, Barrhead.
Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said earlier: ''Everyone at the club is
determined to help Tony pick up the pieces. The players feel terrific
sympathy for him at this time. We're all very close, that's always been
the way at this club. Tony made a big decision to come up here and he
ended up marrying a beautiful girl.
''Her death has happened so quickly, it's devastated everyone. Tony
trained hard and then went home and often had to sit up throughout the
night caring for his wife. The big man has battled through a hard time.
But the whole club is here to help him.''
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