Irene Whelan

Irene Whelan finally gave up and Slipped away on the afternoon of the 21st of december after
fighting so bravely against Terminal cancer she was just 49 years old!!!!
She worked in a retirement home at the top of sydenham called Hillyfields a job that she loved where
she looked after the elderly.
She lived in Forest hill for the best part of 23 years mainly as a single mum looking after me her
only child with the help of my dad's mum and dad, My late brilliant grandparents Kathleen and
Sidney Burton.
She had moved down from Glasgow Scotland when she was sweet 16 and had never looked back.
She was a Brilliant Mother to Paul who Loved her so much for doing the best she ever could for him.
She was a Grandmother to Jamie and sadly Sydney Irene Burton who was named after her but never got
to meet. She was a Sister to four, David and Jeanette who are alive and well but also to Johnny and
Jimmy who are no longer with us. She was also a very loving Friend to all who was lucky enough to
have known her. The songs that play on this site are the ones that was played at her funeral
service, i hope i made you proud Mum. Xxx



To you Mum ,
Im sorry i let you down Mum i wish i had been there for you more towards the
end but i always banked on there being a tomorrow but then that day never came, i cry everytime you
pop into my head sometimes i feel i have no one left i took it for granted that you would always be
here i made a huge mistake im so so sorry for me and for you Please forgive me.
I really wish you and Jamie could have been closer it was never about me. You asked me in the
hospital what would make me happy and i asked you to be close to Jamie but i wish we could have been
closer like we was when i was little. I dont think u realised how much i love you and i miss you so
much i just wish we could talk one more time so you could tell me that you love me too, i never got
to hear you say that at the end and that makes me so sad.
Jamie saved my life Mum when you passed away i thought i was going to die i was broken but he pulled
me through just him, everyone was brilliant Christine, Dad, Kelly and Kirsten who helped make all
the funeral arrangements it was just that Jamie gave me something else not words of comfort but a
means for me to carry on and to never give up, to fight just like you always told me to do.
Mum i am extremley Proud to say that i am your son and i will never forget you not for a second, i
hope that one day i see your face again and not just in my dreams, your heart still beats in mine my
blood is your blood you will never die to me you live on in my heart and i pray that when my time
comes you are by my side and are waiting for me.
Mum you are simply the best to me. Love Always and Forever your only Son
Paul xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx