Memorial Service
Donation Details
Condolences
Heather Hiscock and Bill Latimer
After receiving the news of Eileen’s departure from this earthly world, I spent some time in the garden at St. Barnabas Church, reflecting on the times I had spent with Eileen at workshops and gatherings in this church hall; exploring and celebrating spiritual wisdom through art, dance, and song. In the thirty five years that I’ve known my dear friend, she continued to seek and understand the deeper meanings surrounding our human existence. Her curious nature enriched our shared experiences and conversations. I will miss her welcoming embrace, her generous heart, and her compassionate spirit.
Eileen had many talents and she was keen to learn new skills, including carpentry. She energetically offered to help my husband, Bill, install a panelled wood ceiling during our home renovation. It is with fondness that he remembers Eileen’s eagerness to learn and her helpful assistance with this project.
Eileen was a special friend not only to me, but to many and her vitality in life will live on in the memories we hold of our times together. Our deepest sympathies are with Eileen’s husband, John, and her family members in England.
Heather and Bill
From the first moment we met Eileen, almost twenty years ago, we felt her warm and friendly spirit, full of joy and a fine sense of humour.
We could never forget the Christmas gathering when we first heard “The True Meaning of Crumbfest”, a children’s story read by Eileen. Our family immediately fell in love with it and made almost a tradition of reading or listening to it at Christmas for many years in a row.
Some years ago, we took art classes together and I admired Eileen's sensitivity and artistic ability. One of her interests lay in painting icons and at one point she offered us an icon painted by her. What a comfort to have such a special gift from her. We will forever cherish it, as it will always help us remember Eileen’s beautiful, bright and generous soul.
May the angels illuminate your journey into the spiritual world, dear friend!
Sanda and Teodor
When we first moved into our house, we'd regularly see a woman walking past in all weathers on her way to work. Within a year, she had sung and tap-danced and laughed her way into our home and hearts.
That was 30 years ago and since then she has been a much-loved and admired gentle force of nature and a stalwart of our 10A Street "family", weaving her magic with toddlers, seniors, our pets and all of us in between.
We hate to say good-bye, but the love and many happy moments she gifted us will live on.
Our condolences to John and family and friends.
Rachel and Gail
Eileen,
you were our Speck and Sparkle, our shining star, it was our honour that you were a huge part of our 10A village.
Love you forever,
Judy, Finn and Clare xxx
My Dearest Aunt Eileen,
Such a full life you have lived. Your visits to England when I was young were filled with adventure and creativity.
Later in life when I came to live with you in Calgary was such a wonderful time in my life, the many memories of having fun and laughs with you and all your friends will live on in my heart.
Your happy soul was the star of the show on our Marryoke video filmed at our wedding, how this made us smile when we watched it back. You always told me I had a kind soul and this has stayed with me.
Your last visit to England was such a joyful afternoon tea with you and John at Greyfriars.
You will be greatly missed. Sleep well, love from Steven, Sarah and Chloe xxx
Dear John
We are so sad that Eileen has "crossed the threshold" and our hearts go out to you. You seemed to suit each other so well. How wonderful that you found each other and how sad that the time was short. We hope that you will continue to feel connected to her.
We will miss Eileen's bright, positive, lively, lovely, kind and warm presence. I think of her as a pixie or a sprite; there was a sense of mischief about her ;) . And there was joy. At the same time, I sometimes had the feeling in the way that she looked at me that she "knew" things deeper than the surface. I always wanted to ask her about that... This very deep side to her was sometimes seen in her Christmas cards. In any case, she often brought fresh and different perspectives to conversations and in our study groups. We were looking forward to seeing both of you again once the restrictions are lifted and I had hoped to have walks and joint art sessions with her. One always thinks there will be another opportunity...
The picture of her is beautiful and is exactly how we hold her in my memory. She seemed ageless - we were surprised that she was at least 10 years older than we had imagined.
We will miss her physical presence, and while we feel the hole left by her passing, who she was (and is) still rings out so strongly.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, John, and we hope to be in touch.
Love, Christine and Christoph
Eileen and I met in Halifax in 1975 at the Maritime School of Social Work. We became fast friends and had many fun years together in Halifax attending lectures and tap dance classes, drinking beer at the Seahorse Tavern, hanging out, enjoying music and doing art and summer visits to Baxter’s Harbour. We loved to travel and began a series of trips together that would continue for the next 30 years. I moved to Vancouver and Eileen moved to Calgary a year later. We visited back and forth many many times and kept our rich fun friendship alive. We loved talking and walking and laughing and sharing stories and contemplating and enjoying life. We had a great deal of fun and loved adventures. We always said we were stronger together and helped each other with our respective life struggles. I have boxes and boxes of letters and photos from our times together. I am heartbroken that Eileen is gone but I am at peace. I was lucky to fly to Calgary and had a chance to hold her hand and say goodbye in person at the hospice (thanks John and Carole and Stan!). Eileen was a gentle, loving, deep thinking human with a beautiful kind heart. Thank you John for bringing happiness and joy and more love to her life in these last few years and thank you for your care and comfort in these last few difficult weeks. Your friend Cathy and Simone and Finn miss you too
Our dear Aunt Eileen will be forever loved and missed. She was a vibrant, wise, creative lady, who could immediately put you at ease and engage you in an interesting conversation. We have many happy memories spent in her company including her fun-filled visits back to England while I was growing up, our visit to Calgary in 1995, her much appreciated attendance at our wedding in 1998 and all of her visits since.
It is comforting to know that she found happiness with John in more recent times and that they were able to share their love of travel and the great outdoors together.
Andrew, Joanne and the girls xxx
John Goodey. Monday 7th June
Eileen. My sister. Your presence with me throughout the ages, with a love not lost. A life well lived, rest in peace.
J and J.
Eileen was my YES friend.
She said YES to everything. We sang, we painted, we tap-danced, we drummed, we hiked, we laughed, we philosophized.
She was a huge part of mine and of Finn and Clare's village for 34 years.
Eileen was vitality itself.
Quirky and wise
Funny and kind
I will look for you everywhere my Brilliant Friend...
and I will find you
In all things beautiful
Miss you so much already.
Jude x
We will always remember Eileen’s kindness and hospitality during our stay in Calgary a few years ago. We enjoyed the walks she took us on to her old neighbourhood and the city park trails. Her energetic attitude and friendly nature warmed our hearts. Eileen will be greatly missed.
For close to 40 years Eileen was my go-to friend to discuss all things metaphysical and my spirit would surely have suffered without our connection. It was Eileen who helped me appreciate the unique and subtle workings of my own mind which lent confidence on my artistic path. We shared many laughs on numerous painting adventures together while exploring different places in Alberta (Cypress Hills, Waterton, and north past Rocky Mountain House). We studiously took summer art workshops at the Red Deer Art College, journeyed open-minded to Hollyhock Retreat Centre on Cortes Island to attend workshops on morphic resonance and overtone chanting, and last but not least, rode tall on horseback into the Tonquin Valley with my young daughter, even though Eileen by then in her late sixties, had never ridden a horse! Spirited, she was, and ever supportive, but she could also be deeply private.
How wonderful that Eileen and John got married and were together her last remaining years but what a shock that she didn't live forever, as Eileen seemed ageless. Knowing her gone is hard but imagining her somehow still in our midst is easy because she always had an air of the transcendent. As we all struggle with the loss of our dear old friend, our hearts go out to you, John, and send you more than what the word 'condolences' can convey. With love, Anne, David, Noah and Emma
With tears in my eyes but with thankfulness for having met my wonderful friend Eileen, who was so kind and giving with a great sense of humor and wisdom. She would often call me for a cup of tea in her beautiful garden and she was an angel disguised as friend.
We are so sad about Eileen's passing. We miss her dearly and we are thinking of her every day with fond memories of 45 years.
Eileen was our friend, our sister, our auntie, our colleague, our guru, our guide, our support, our confidante, our roomie, our dinner date, our painting partner, partner in this journey of life.
Our love and virtual hugs to her family. xxx HEART STUDIO, CAROLE and STAN and family. xxx
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