Christine O'Shea

Sleep well auntie chris, I have some great memories of us all. I Will never forget the laughter and the loudness of all the family together. You were one of a kind Until we meet again rest easy Lots of love Victoria

I was so sad to hear that Chris had passed away, I still can’t believe she is gone. Although we hadn’t spoken in many years, she will always hold a special place in my heart. She was the life and soul of any party, and I have so many wonderful memories that I will treasure forever. Chris was an amazing mother and wife, a true pillar of strength, and I know her boys and Pete will continue to make her proud. My thoughts are with all the family at this difficult time – she will be so deeply missed.

So sorry for your loss to all the family. I had the pleasure our meeting your mum few times over the years and she was always making a joke bless her. Condolences to you all and will be thinking of you all on the day you say your goodbyes x

You were the best auntie a lil lad could of ask for no matter what I did u always had my back even as a got older you were there for me I will never forget our times together how you look after me and guided to be a better person you will always be in my heart auntie Chris love ya always xxx your little lee

for some reason i kept expecting u to rock up on ur scooter today. it still doesnt feel real that ur gone. definitely didnt say it enough but i love you nanny chris x

Rest in peace Chris. Sorry I couldn’t make your last day . I’m sure there was a massive crowd sharing their memories for such a popular lady. your family and friends will miss you

My words for my beautiful second mum: My goodness, there is going to be one hell of a party up there in heaven now, they will not know what has hit them! I first met Christine when I was about 14. I had just come back from Cyprus with my dad which is where we lived and I was starting secondary school here late, which is how I met James. Me and my mates used to walk up to knock for him after school, but on this one day I went on my own. I thought we might go play some pool or down a bottle of 20/20 in the park, you know as you did in those days! When I knocked on the door, I was met by a vision I’ll never forget, a short woman with no teeth in and bright ginger hair, a towel wrapped round her, a fag hanging out of her mouth and those big eyes. She looked me up and down and said, “Hello darling, who are you?” I nervously asked if James was in, calling her “Mrs O’Shea” of course. She laughed, invited me in for a cuppa, which incidentally I had to make, and what started as a quick visit turned into a friendship that lasted nearly thirty years. From that day, I felt instantly at home with Chris. Her wit, her character, her kind heart…they just pulled me in. I was a bit lost back then, always getting into some kind of mischief, but with Christine I felt safe. She gave me advice, she made me laugh so much and she gave me somewhere I could just be myself. Most evenings I’d be round there about half six. Pete would be having his dinner, Chris would be ironing his shirt ready to send him out to work in the cab, and then our night would begin. There was always something happening. People coming and going, her wanting to go galivanting or we would just chill, watch tele and talk nonsense all night of course drinking tea which I always had to make. Chris also gave me the confidence I never thought I had. I always loved singing, but I was too shy to perform. She used to make me stand in front of her singing my heart out like I was on the stage at Wembley. “Come on girl louder, what’s the matter with ya?” she’d say. She came to my school shows and various performances I did with my dad and my nan, cheering me on like my number one fan, you can picture it, right? I loved her and always looked for her in the crowd. And then there were the road trips. When I passed my test, I was terrified of driving into London. Christine wasn’t having any of it. Day 1, literally hours since passing she told me I had to take her to Islington to see her family. I said absolutely not. Of course, I lost that argument. So, there I was, gripping the wheel of my little banger, bolt upright and shaking, saying “Chris, all I can see in the mirrors are buses and cars, they are everywhere!” And she just said, “Never mind that, keep going it’s London, you’ll thank me one day!” She had the window down, hair blowing in the wind, Bob Marley or sometimes a bit of Celine Dion blasting, telling me “this is living.” I have so many memories of Chris that I could stand here all day sharing them, but now I carry them close, locked in my heart. When I think of Christine, I think of a woman with the kindest heart I’ve ever known. She was hilarious, sometimes crude, which suited me just fine because we’d only encourage each other, giggling away to ourselves. She could be bossy too, believe me, she never missed a trick! But that was Chris through and through: always pushing me, always grabbing life with both hands and always making sure I did the same. She wore her heart on her sleeve and once she was your friend, she was your friend for life. But, she wasn’t just my friend’s mum or the crazy lady down the road. As I grew up, I looked at her as my second mum. She’d introduce me to people as her daughter, and that made me beam from ear to ear. She was there through all of life’s highs and lows. When my dad died suddenly, she was at my door. When I had my heart broken for the first time, she told me straight, “it was never going to work with him anyway was it!” When I met Jamie, the love of my life, she looked at him and her first words were “Lurch, look at the size of him” (minus the swearing of course) because of how tall he is. but she approved and welcomed him with open arms and that meant the world to me. Even when I moved away, whenever I called her, it was as if no time had passed at all. We’d pick up right where we left off. just like being back in her front room with endless cups of tea or out driving with the windows down and music on full blast.  Christine was a character, one of a kind, and she leaves a massive hole in my heart. But I am forever grateful to her, Pete, and the boys who I look upon as my brothers, for taking me in as one of their own, treating me like family and giving me all those years of love, laughter and memories. Chris, you were my second mum, my cheerleader, my partner in crime and my safe place. Thank you for absolutely everything you done for me throughout the years, I love you always and forever, sleep tight you old tart!