Hundreds pay tribute to Donna, ‘a fighter to the end’
10:30am Sunday 19th August 2012 in News
HUNDREDS of people joined together to mourn a mother who “fought for her life until the end”.
Tributes were paid to Donna McLaughlin, who lost her battle against cancer at Bolton Hospice on Friday, August 10, at a service held at St Mary’s RC Church in Horwich yesterday.
Red and white Wigan Rugby League shirts were worn to the service to mark Miss McLaughlin’s support for the team and people wore bright colours to symbolise her positive outlook on life.
The 44-year-old helped launch The Bolton News ’ Garden of Tranquillity appeal, which raised £100,000 to transform the grounds of Bolton Hospice.
And readers helped to pay for her funeral and for a holiday for her children, Marc Bateson, aged 22, Stewart McLaughlin, aged 16, and Jodie McLaughlin, aged 14.
Father Kevin Foulkes, who read Miss McLaughlin’s eulogy, said: “She was the second youngest of seven children.
“She was a beautiful little girl who from a very young age was independent and set in her ways, some would say stubborn.
“She thought she was one of the lads, always in the streets playing Army games and usually beating the lads up. She excelled in sports, her main passion was athletics.”
Miss McLaughlin served in the Army in the Royal Engineers for three years in the 1980s before leaving to start her family.
Father Foulkes said her children meant everything to her.
She enjoyed kickboxing with Marc, Karate with Stewart and horse riding with Jodie.
He added: “She was a proud, passionate, colourful woman.
She had a ‘never give up’ attitude and fondness for life.
“She will be remembered almost as much for her humour.
She was a fighter to the end and was a true legend.” Close friends and family entered the church to Ave Maria and the congregation sang the hymn, Colours of Day and Amazing Grace.
Miss McLaughlin planned her funeral months before she died, selecting the hymns and flowers she wanted. Her family wish to thank everyone for their support.
A celebration was held at St Mary’s Club following the funeral and family committal Overdale East Chapel.
