A much-loved former Darlington Hospital matron was given a special final farewell outside the accident and emergency department she helped shape.
Friends, family and hospital staff gathered outside the blue light entrance at 11.30am on Friday (August 14) to pay their respects to Patricia Moore as her funeral cortege passed the hospital.
Patricia Moore
(Image: FAMILY)
Staff lined the entrance area as the hearse, followed by three family cars, made its way through the emergency route normally used by ambulances.
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Pictures show colleagues clapping as the cortege passed, with emotional staff members remembering a woman who had left a lasting mark on the hospital.
The hearse was decorated with white flowers spelling out “mam", "nana" and sister”, alongside a black and white photograph of Patricia at the beginning of her nursing career.
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Patricia Moore
(Image: FAMILY)
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
One member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said Patricia’s impact was still felt more than three decades after she retired.
She said: “Patricia left the hospital in 1993, but a lot of people still remember her and the huge impact she had here.”
It is rare for hospital staff to gather outside the site in this way, and the tribute was arranged to recognise Patricia’s long service and the role she played in the development of the A&E department.
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Her granddaughter, Kelly McArthur Lowry, said seeing staff gathered in the sunshine to honour her nana had been “so special”.
She said: “It is an absolute honour that the hospital did this for my nan. They said they would love to give her the send-off she deserved and mark their respects.
“It was so special to see everyone outside lined up to give my nan her last send-off from A&E.”
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Born in 1935, Patricia trained as a nurse at the Old Church Hospital in Romford before returning to the North East and beginning her career at the old Memorial Hospital in Darlington.
She watched the current hospital building take shape around the original site before moving into the new accident and emergency department when it opened in May 1980.
The funeral cortege for NHS matron Patricia Moore passes by Darlington Memorial Hospital.
(Image: CHRIS BOOTH)
Patricia went on to work in A&E for 25 years, becoming matron and building a reputation as a determined and highly respected figure among colleagues.
Her family previously said the department became like a second family to her, and that even after her retirement in 1993, staff and consultants continued to remember her.
As the hearse left Darlington Memorial Hospital for the final time, past and present colleagues applauded in tribute to a woman who devoted her working life to caring for others.
Away from work, Patricia’s life was firmly rooted in Darlington.
She moved into her home on Ampleforth Way, opposite Branksome School, in 1962, when the Branksome estate was still surrounded by farmland, and lived there for 64 years.
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By the end of her life, she was the oldest living resident on the estate, and was a familiar and much-loved figure in the neighbourhood.
She loved travelling and camping with her husband Tony, where they were married for 63 years until his death around five years ago.
Patricia leaves behind her son and daughter, Kevin and Karen, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.