“Mom was our rock and the glue that held us all together” – Judy Rock recalled her funeral as a “gentle and kind lady”.

Judy Rock, the wife of Irish showband legend Dickie Rock, is remembered for her “kind and loving” manner and has been described as a “truly wonderful person”.

rs Rock, 77, was described as “a woman who was warm and welcoming to all” at her funeral service at the Church of the Annunciation in Rathfarnham today.

She was treated at St Vincent’s Hospital for several weeks after contracting Covid-19 but sadly died on Monday 25 April.

Judy’s brother Tony described his sister as “a good person with strong old-fashioned values.” He said he will miss Judy’s “elated laugh” the most.

“When Judy was born three months premature and weighing just over two pounds, she was here against all odds. For up to two years she was cared for by my mother and grandmother. She was always special,” he said.

“She was really excellent at the piano and could read every sheet of music. We had wonderful teenage years. We moved to Rialto in 1964, she met Richard in 1965 and they married in 1966.

“Judy never liked the limelight, she was always much happier staying in the background and keeping family matters private. In the years that followed, they made part of their living in Spain and when it came to semi-retirement they spent a lot of their time there, which they both loved very much.”

“I think it was the anonymity of Spain that Judy loved. Out there she was just ‘Mrs. Average’, Judy could easily switch from English to Spanish and over there she was just known as Julia, everyone knew Julia.”

“The thing I will miss most about Judy is her enthusiastic laugh, that laugh is gone. No one will miss her more than her soulmate Richard of almost six decades.”

The couple’s youngest son, Peter Rock, said his mother was the “rock” of the family.

“Mom was our rock and the glue that held us all together. She set an example of what a good mother, wife, sister and friend should be. She loved nothing more than us all going out to dinner together, laughing and chatting,” he said.

“We were all booked to go to Spain for a big family reunion this summer, up until seven weeks ago we were planning where to go and what to do so we could all be together but that was tragically taken away from us. “

“Spain was Mama’s happy place. We, their children, spent so many happy hours with mum and dad in Spain. The summers have been long and the memories are endless.”

“Mum and Dad have been together for 57 years, they are a shining example of the kind of unconditional love it takes to see a marriage through the good times and the bad. Mom and Dad first met in December 1965 at the Iron Ballroom in Dublin.

“When Dad saw her, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, it was love at first sight. I remember Dad saying how beautiful, kind and loving Mom used to be. I know how proud she was of Dad and everything he had achieved.

“Mom was taken from us far too soon, at just 77 she had so much to live for, for Dad, for all of us and her beloved grandchildren, whom she so reveled in and loved so much.”

A number of icons were brought to the altar to represent Judy’s life. Ms. Rock’s grandchildren, Mia and Rosie, brought lavender, a flower of calm and beauty that represented Judy’s way of life.

A picture of Spain was also put forward to commemorate the couple’s many happy holidays there.

Rueben brought a picture of Judy with her son Joseph, who sadly died at the age of 25. Noah brought a picture of Judy’s parents to the altar to symbolize their “idyllic” family life.

Both Mr and Mrs Rock fell ill with Covid-19 in March. Dickie (85) was doing very poorly and suffering from flu-like symptoms but was able to recover at home.

However, Judy required hospital treatment and was eventually placed in intensive care.