Proud Offaly woman Kathleen dies in London aged 102

Kathleen Lloyd (nee Kelly) was a native of Edenderry born on May 5, 1923, and sadly died peacefully in London on August 28, 2025, aged 102 years.

Kathleen reported that Edenderry came out of poverty with the arrival of a shoe factory in 1935.

She became a skilful worker there and Kathleen and two friends, Clare Kennedy and Bridie Plunkett, were invited to transfer to the sister factory in London, where the company produced the Surefit brand.

This was the Arcola factory in Leyton High Road, an associate of the factory set up in Edenderry by two East London businessmen.

In time Kathleen met Frederick Lloyd, a builder, and they married and lived happily together until his death in 2005. Their one regret was they were denied children.

“We would have loved to be parents,” said Kathleen, “but after so many miscarriages we realised it was not to be.”

Sadly, Kathleen’s sister Rosie suffered a similar fate. Kathleen has no recent record of any relatives, but did have a photo album of scenes around Edenderry, which a visitor brought to her many years ago.

Kathleen lived alone after her husband died 20 years ago and celebrated her 100th birthday on May 5, 2023 with her carer, her doctor, and members of the patients group at her surgery, Addison Road Medical Practice in Walthamstow.

She continued living alone with daily home care and her TV. Kathleen was always smiling and reported most things she watched on TV as ‘diabolical’, her favourite word. May she rest in peace.

This tribute to Kathleen Lloyd was written by Seamus Cooney, a Ferbane native who was her GP in Walthamstow, East London.