The family of the late Susan (Sue) Hogg MBE have paid tribute to a “friendly and capable” community stalwart who was highly-thought of in all the many organisations and groups that she was involved with over the years.

Sue (77), late of Castle Place, Enniskillen, passed away peacefully at Omagh Hospital on Sunday, March 12 following a battle with cancer.

Describing his beloved late wife as “friendly” and “capable”, Sue’s husband, Robin Hogg, added: “She liked to keep involved in things.”

Sue was born on July 20, 1945, and as a child attended Strathearn School in Belfast, where she went on to become Head Girl of the grammar school – a testament to her leadership qualities that would continue to flourish throughout her life.

She continued her education at Trinity College Dublin, and following her graduation she worked at Marks and Spencer as a staff trainee.

“She then came to work in Inglis Bakery group in Belfast,” said Robin, adding that it was at the bakery that he and Sue first met, “over the biscuit ovens”, he added with a chuckle as he remembered.

“We worked together there. She was personnel manager with the biscuit and cake division, of which I was a bakery manager,” he added.

Sue and Robin later married, and celebrated 51 happy years together, with their two children, Neill and Gillian, and four grandchildren, Patrick, Jamie, Sam and Oli. Sue was devoted to her children and her grandchildren.

In late 1974, the family moved from Belfast to Bellanaleck, and set up the boat company Crannog Cruising on Lough Erne.

“We operated the boat company for almost 18 years,” said Robin, explaining that after they sold the company, Sue worked for a firm called Young Enterprise, which set up business management courses for schools.

Sue became very much involved in education and joined the Board of Governors of six Fermanagh schools when she was a member of the Western Education and Library Board, of which she became chairperson at the end of her career.

“The schools she was involved with were the Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School (now Enniskillen Royal Grammar School), the Southwest Technical College (now South West College), Enniskillen High School (now Devenish College), Erne Special School (now Willowbridge School) where she was [chairperson] of the Board of Governors for a very long time, Florencecourt Primary School and Enniskillen Model Primary School,” listed Robin.

Passionate about working with young people, Sue was also dedicated to the Girl Guide Association.

“She was the Chief Commissioner of Ulster in the Girl Guide Association, and she worked a lot on that, having started a Brownie pack in Bellanaleck whenever we first came down here,” said Robin.

He continued: “She also did a lot of work with Soroptimist International, and she was Ulster President at one stage in her career, and was a local president as well.”

Sue was involved in many other organisations locally, including the Fermanagh branch of U3A (University of the Third Age), the National Trust and Fermanagh County Show.

She was also on the Board of the charity Choice Housing.

During her life, Sue was recognised with an MBE by Her Majesty The Queen, and in 2006, she was appointed High Sheriff of County Fermanagh.

Sue had a strong Christian faith and was very interested in the church. “She was secretary of Cleenish Parish Church and then we came to the Cathedral whenever we moved out of Bellanaleck and in to Enniskillen,” said Robin, explaining that Sue became a Diocesan Lay Assistant at St. Macartin’s Cathedral, and was on several church committees.

Sue thoroughly enjoyed singing and was a member of the Cathedral Choir, Cleenish Choir and the Fermanagh Choral Society.

Amid her many hobbies and interests, Sue was a keen sailor, and was involved in the Lough Erne Yacht Club.

“She was an Irish champion in enterprises in 1972,” said Robin, adding: “Once we left the [boating] business, we spent four years sailing around the Mediterranean together. We sailed down to Turkey, and around that part of the world, and we sailed together in Tahiti and New Zealand.”

In October, 2021, Sue was diagnosed with cancer. After a fierce battle, she passed away on March 12, 2023.

Arranged by W. T. Morrison Funeral Directors, Sue’s funeral service took place at St. Macartin’s Cathedral on March 15 and saw hundreds of people fill it to pay their final respects to the much-loved community figure.

“I was amazed at the number of people who felt they should go to it, and were at it.

“It was much larger than I anticipated.

“It was nice to see how much people thought of her,” said Robin.

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