Joan Delany, wife of Irish Olympic gold medal winner Ronnie Delany, has died just a week after her husband, and two days after he was laid to rest.
She died, surrounded by family, in the Blackrock Clinic on Wednesday.
Her funeral takes place on Saturday at 11am in St Brigid’s Church, Cabinteely, and the funeral Mass will be followed by a private cremation service.
She is survived by her children Lisa, Ronnie, Jennie and Michelle (Mimi); grandchildren and great-granddaughter; sons-in-law and daughter-in-law; and sisters Pat and Sally.
READ MORE
She was predeceased by her sister Ann and brother Brian.
Ronnie and Joan Delany (née Riordan) were married for 64 years and while she was too ill to attend her husband’s funeral she was represented by a single red rose.
She married Delany in August 1962 and in the eulogy on Monday Ronnie Delany jnr said that when he had talked to his father days before his death he had only one request: that his wife would know how much she meant to him.
“He asked me to speak today, and his one and only request was to tell mum how much he loved her, how she made his life the happiest life possible, that he adored her and loved her every day of his life, to thank her for loving him and spending her life with him, to thank her for his beautiful children, grandchildren and great granddaughter,” he said.
Delany jnr said he and his sisters “were lucky to have parents who adored each other”.
