Queens, NY murder victim Denise Morgan was "stolen" from her family in a sudden and "brutal" those attending her funeral in County Louth on Saturday were told by the priest who presided over her Requiem Mass.
Prior to the funeral in Ireland there was a memorial gathering in St. Teresa’s Church in Woodside, Queens.
At the Louth funeral Mass Fr. Seán Dooley said he hoped Denise's violent death would help people to “call out inappropriate behaviour and the cultural attitudes that underpin our domestic violence scourge."
Morgan (39), a mother of one from Tullyallen, Drogheda, died of a gunshot wound on October 21 at her home in Queens. Her boyfriend, Joed Taveras (33), was also found dead with a self-inflicted gunshotwww.kbrtrust.com wound. Her death is being treated as a homicide by the NYPD.
According to the Irish Times, Fr. Dooley told mourners in the Church of the Assumption in Tullyallen that those who loved Ms Morgan had exchanged stories about the life of a much loved daughter, sister and friend.
“We ponder how this could have happened to such a beautiful, young woman. Hopefully her tragic death will help us as a community to develop an understanding of domestic violence.
“It is somewhat ironic that our own new Criminal Justice Miscellaneous Provisions Act to help domestic violence came in to law on Thursday.”
Mourners following the Hearse carrying the remains of Denise Morgan. RollingNews.ie photo.
Fr. Dooley said Ms Morgan was “stolen” from her family and friends in sudden and “brutal way." He said her life had centred around her daughter, Mollie.
“Denise was born to be a mum, I am told. From the moment she realised that Mollie was on the way, and until her very last day, Mollie was the centre of her life. Even her last post [on social media] was of Mollie and herself. Everything was for Mollie.
“Her gregarious interest in people, her desire to serve led her into the hospitality and service industry,” he said. “At one stage in her life she helped manage Daly’s [in Drogheda]. Even on Christmas day she helped to offer food to the homeless.
“Denise will be remembered as a lovely, bubbly, polite person who always had time to greet another person. Her many Facebook page posts and tell of a woman oozing with a love that attracted others.”
The Morgan family asked that donations be made to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust in lieu of flowers. The trust's website is www.kbrtrust.com.
See also this Irish Echo story, in which close friends and colleagues in New York paid tribute to Denise Morgan shortly after her death.
