Tribute on behalf of the White Family
 
Pamela Elizabeth or Pam as she was best known was born on 18 May 1936 to Samuel and Jean Patterson of the Diamond, Crumlin.  Mum was the younger sister of David, Margaret, Alfie and Bea and older sister to William, Florence, Helen, Maureen, Joan and Samuel.  Mum’s childhood was a happy one and mum talked about being woken up in the morning by the smell of freshly baked bread.  Her own mother’s strong focus on nutrition and home-made meals made a lasting impression with mum, believing that ‘you are what you eat’ but always at the same time always leaving room for treats!
 
Being part of a large family had its benefits especially on one particular day that mum’s bicycle had a flat tyre and she was in danger of missing her train to school.  Auntie Margaret came to the rescue by taking mum and her heavy schoolbag on the handlebars and all was going well until the schoolbag fell off onto the muddy road.  When mum was ready to progress from bicycles to cars, it was Auntie Florence who took on the task of teaching mum to drive – apparently mum got a fright at Mount Cottage on a narrow and twisty part of the road and she was too nervous to ever drive again – and she never did.  Mum never had any regrets in her childhood except that she was the only girl in the family not to learn to play the piano …but she participated in her love of music in other ways and thoroughly enjoyed singing in both church choirs.
 
On 12 July 1955 at the age of just 19 mum stepped onto a ship to New York with sister Margaret and brother-in-law John with a view to emigrating.  After a short stay with her Auntie Minnie and Uncle Bill in Flushing Meadow, New York, the intrepid 3 travelled up to Toronto, Canada where they settled into jobs.  Mum worked in the accounts department of simpsons-sears department store.  After 11 months, mum returned home due to homesickness, however the time together in Canada cemented a strong bond with Auntie Margaret and Uncle John which continued throughout the years.  Within a few weeks of arriving home from Canada, brother William invited dad to go with him to a Young Farmer’s dance to keep his sister Pam company.  And the rest as they say is history...
 
Mum and dad married on 27 March 1962.  Mum devoted herself to dad and this continued throughout their 58 years of marriage together.  Mum also treated dad’s mum like her own mum.  While mum and dad just clicked and were a great team, there was one difference in them that became apparent very early on – mum was an early bird and dad was a night owl.  Dad once joked that mum had the bed made before he was out of it in the morning.  Mum was a loving and committed wife who faithfully fulfilled her marriage vows especially in sickness as well as in health.  A particular highlight of their retirement years together was the trip round the world with stops on route to visit Joan and Norman in Hong Kong, the Rowse family in New Zealand and Mestler/Loos families in California.
 
The addition of children brought mum and dad great joy – Keith was born 7 January 1964, Rodney born 23 May 1966 and Helen (that’s me) born 28 June 1971.  Mum loved us all …dearly.  She also had her hands full with our mischief.  One day Keith and Rodney were playing in the garage at Seven Mile Straight and they decided to build a wee fire to keep them warm.  The only problem was it was set right beside the oil tank.  Keith recalls that he never saw mum move as quick.  They had no telephone at the time in the house so mum had to go to the garage next door and she jumped and cleared the dividing wall as if she was competing in the Olympics.
 
Mum missed nothing.  One day Keith was sent home from school for doing something naughty – I’ll let you ask him what that was….  He walked up the road and sat in the ditch until 3pm before he went to the back door.  Mum wasn’t so slow – she said – “why are you home so early?”  Keith had forgotten to add on the walking home time and had appeared home too early giving the game away.  Then there was the much talked about sponge pudding incident when mum was visiting Auntie Joan in Kenya.  Dad had left a tinned jam sponge pudding in boiling water on the cooker while he went to church.  It had boiled dry before he got home and Keith and Rodney were wakened by an almighty explosion.  Dad came home from church to find the boys cleaning jam off the kitchen ceiling.  The incident had to be confessed up to when mum came home and noticed that one part of the ceiling looked whiter than the other and she was finding jam round the corners of the microwave.
 
For me our mother and daughter trips abroad visiting the capitals of Europe will remain precious – those trips developed out of a thought that she didn’t need any more “stuff” for Christmas – it was the time spent together making memories that was more important and even better when it also involved eating apple strudel in Vienna.
 
Not only was mum a devoted wife and mother but the addition of grandchildren brought her immense joy and she was incredibly proud of each one of them – Laura, Andrew, Harry, Nicola and Philip.   Whether it was reading stories with them on her knee when they were young or being part of birthday or Christmas celebrations, she loved every part of it and was quick with a word of encouragement.  I think Laura inherited mum’s baking genes, possibly also influenced by those times when she helped at the church Christmas sales.  Mum was also responsible for planting the seed with Nicola to become a nurse.  Let’s just say I don’t think the Andrew, Harry and Philip got their rally driving skills from mum!
 
During her life mum worked in Crumlin Post Office and as a sales clerk at Ballymena Fairhill Livestock Market along with sister Florence.  Mum loved her work here and greatly missed it when it came to an end.  Mum was greatly loved by all at the market and many continued to ask about her long after.  There was a particular occasion at home when mum showed some potential to be a car mechanic.  One tea-time dad, Keith and Rod were sitting around the tea table discussing a problem that Rod was having with his stock-car in that the engine wasn't running right.  After 5 minutes of debate and just as mum set the plates on the kitchen table, she commented ..."It's probably dirt in the carburettor".  Dad, Keith and Rod just looked at each other then looked at mum and she just chuckled as she walked back to the cooker to get the rest of the dinner.
     
Mum had the highest of standards in every way and always liked everything kept in good order.  She took so much pride in her role as a homemaker and loved having the house and garden well maintained.  Her cooking and baking were legendary.  She was happiest when she had got you to eat something.  As kids, we always enjoyed home cooked dinners and always sat down for dinner as a family.  Friday night was chip night – homemade chips no less.  Birthday cakes were homemade and anyone who visited never left the house without a cup of tea and a homemade tray-bake or bun ….whether that be shortbread, almond squares or peppermint creams – there something to suit all tastes.  When they were young …and older…the grandchildren queued up to lick the bowl when mum had finished with the cooking mixture and were excited to get to look through the tins to choose their favourite bun when they visited.  Christmas memories will always remain special for many reasons and particularly as Keith and Rodney would never have anyone’s Christmas pudding other than their mum’s.  No-one could make it better – not even Mary Berry.
 
So many people have commented on mum’s warmth, kindness, gentleness, strength and compassion…her smile…her gracious nature and how she always kept good relationships with everyone.  She will be greatly missed by so many family and friends.
 
And so it was with a mixture of sorrow and joy that we got the call that mum had peacefully passed away on Thursday morning.  Sorrow that she is no longer with us and Joy that she is now with her Saviour in heaven forever.  Although it would be our desire to have more time here with mum, we consider her 84 years in the context of eternity.  Mum loved the Lord.  She came to faith as a child at Diamond Sunday School and that faith matured in adulthood.  Her faith was quiet yet solid, best reflected in the pastoral and the practical.  Mum shared her deep faith with dad and together they were a great wee pastoral care team – one seeing the need and the other making it happen.  They were both committed members of this church, eldership, choir as well as numerous other organisations and groups.  This church was at the heart of their worship, outreach, service and discipleship.  They willingly and actively played their part in the body of Christ and got immense pleasure in serving others.
 
In her personal faith, mum read the bible twice daily.  But it was her commitment to prayer that most impacted me as a child and an adult.  She never got into bed at night until she had prayed.  As a child at our home on the Seven Mile Straight, I remember many times going into mum and dad’s bedroom at night to find mum kneeling at the side of the bed with her hands over her ears in prayer.  Dad too.  I used to make noises to try and disturb them – a cough or a big sigh but this was one conversation that never got interrupted… and I ended up impatiently going back to my room and probably forgetting about whatever it was I wanted to ask them.  This practice continued for her entire life.  I remember staying as an adult at their home in Templepatrick and coming to bed to see through the crack in the bedroom door, mum and dad kneeling and praying just as they had when I was a child.  As a child I was more interested in when the prayer would finish so I could ask my question.  As an adult I was more intrigued about the content of mum’s prayer.  One time not long ago she gave me a little glimpse – she said “I pray every night for my family by name and I pray that every-one of them will come to know the Lord.”
 
In the very early hours of Thursday 12 November, mum fulfilled the Lord’s purpose for her life here on earth and He took her home to be with Him.  God had already ordained the days of mum’s life including the day she was born and the day she would die.  His ways…his plans…his timing may not be what we would choose but we take comfort from the fact that it is impossible for God to make mistakes and He is able to work all things for good for those who love him.  And right now the Lord is saying to mum – “well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Lord”.