A mother-of-one found dead at her home in east Belfast earlier this month has been remembered as “vibrant and bubbly” and someone who was loved by all who knew her.
Grieving family and friends turned out for the humanist service for Kathryn Parton at Gilmore’s Funeral Church in Comber on Tuesday.
Celebrant Rachel Smith said the ceremony was an opportunity to remember the “vibrant” young mother.
“Today as we remember her life we hold close in our hearts her family, we acknowledge that her death is such a loss in so many ways for so many people, a painful and unnecessary agony.
“And what we need in our world is kindness, so as we step out today, carry forward her love and treat each other with love and kindness and let that be her legacy,” she said.
Ms Parton was born in Fife, Scotland and moved with her parents, Ernie and Geraldine, to Northern Ireland when she was 13-years-old.
Family and friends attending the service heard how Ms Parton had spent a “really great day” with her son Bailey (13) in the days before her death.
“She loved him, with every bone of her body and her whole heart,” the tribute read.
“Kathryn and Bailey spent a lot of time with Ernie and Geraldine, that was her soft landing, her home and her safe space.”
The celebrant told how Ms Parton’s “vibrant and bubbly” personality made her popular, but mental health struggles at times made life difficult for her.
“She was so liked and everyone really loved her, and that was often the way in life, she was really liked,” she said.
“She loved to work out and keep fit, and she was always beautiful and attracted attention. She turned heads as she walked down the street.
“She was loved and all she wanted was a good life, like the rest of us. She wanted fun and love.”
Ms Parton was found by her father with severe head injuries in the bedroom of her home on Madrid Street.
Her partner Jamie Love (23) from Madrid Street but originally from Carrickfergus, is charged with murder on a date between May 9 and 15.
Suzanne Love, the accused’s mother, from Isoline Street, faces three charges in connection with the death, including attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Reece Oliver (22) from Castleton Avenue in Belfast, is also charged with assisting an offender and aiding and abetting breach of bail.
