Laois County Council tributes on sudden death of retired IT worker
Laois County Council management and councillors have paid tribute to a retired IT worker who died suddenly a month ago.
Described as "an inventor' and a "great member of the community, Denis Lowry from Timahoe died on December 29.
Cllr Paschal McEvoy from Timahoe led tributes.
"He was a great member of the community, from a highly respected family. He was a member of staff here for many many years. Unfortunately a young man in the full of his health who died suddenly. Speaking on behalf of the people of Timahoe, he was very highly respected and an absolute gentleman. I offer sympathies to his wife and three daughters, his brother and sisters," he said.
Cllr John King also paid tribute.
"I got very friendly with Denis, he was an inventor. He showed me a water unit he designed for taking water out of a river. As a friend and colleague I send sympathies to his family," he said.
Cllr Willie Aird said that Mr Lowry was farming fulltime before he went back to further education to retrain in Information Technology.
"I always found him very helpful and very friendly. It's an awful time he was such a young man. My deepest sympathy," he said.
He also offered sympathies to the White family from Portlaoise on the death of Frank White from Newpark, who he noted was a good choir member. All also sympathised with staff member PJ Kelly on the death of his mother Christina from Stradbally.
The CEO also offered sympathies to the Lowry and Kelly families.
"The bereavements in the Kelly and Lowry family have hit the staff of this county council quite hard. Denis was a former colleague and enduring friend to many people who work in this building. We want to convey our sincere sympathies to the extended Kelly and Lowry families," John Mulholland said.
A minute's silence was observed ahead of the December/January meeting of Laois County Council.