November 30, 1921 - February 21, 2011
Eileen left this world late in the evening on Monday, February 21. She was predeceased by her mother and father, Eva and Matthew Sainsbury, and by two of her sisters, Joan Sainsbury and Eva (Rita) Mailly.
Eileen was born in Revelstoke, where she lived with her family until 1935 when they moved to London, England. There she finished her schooling and took her first job in the commercial music and recording industry. She enjoyed this very much but a few years later, when the Canadian Forces arrived in England, she volunteered for service in the Canadian Army. Eileen was stationed at Aldershot and as the Allied Forces advanced into Europe, Eileen requested to serve on the Continent. She made lifelong friends during this time and later, even though distance would keep them apart, they always remained in touch.
Returning to Canada and moving to Vancouver in 1946, Eileen was first employed by Hospital Insurance but it was not long before she made a move to the Commercial Division of the British Columbia Motor Vehicles Branch. Eileen enjoyed her responsibilities and rose through the ranks making friends along the way. Retiring after thirty years, Eileen was able to enjoy twenty-five years of travel and relaxation. She and her mother took many trips to England and throughout BC and the Alberta Rockies. She was also a compassionate and loving caregiver for her mother Eva.
Flower gardening became one of Eileen’s favourite pastimes. She was also an excellent cook who took great pleasure in hosting many family parties and Christmas celebrations. Her home was a beautiful haven and every small detail was attended to, from the beautiful decorations to her fabulous dinners. Evenings would finish off with party games and prizes and then before heading home, we would have tea and there would be an incredible selection of treats along with a drop of sherry. Eileen was the consummate host.
Eileen resided in Qualicum Beach from 1995. She loved her perfect little cottage and was happy with her life in this lovely small community. From her home, she enjoyed watching the changes that nature brought to her garden, the visits from her animal friends, both wild and domestic, and of course, the beautiful sunsets and sunrises from her vantage point overlooking the ocean.
Due to health issues, Eileen spent the last 5 years @ Eagle Park, Where she met her new family. The staff there treated her with love and dignity. We offer our deepest thanks to everyone who took such wonderful care of Eileen. We would also like to thank Dr. Morag Atherstone, Dr. Penny Bartlett and Dr. Robert Price for assisting Eileen through this difficult time.
Eileen leaves her sister Dorothy (Gert), and nieces and nephews both here and abroad, who all loved her dearly.
There will be a family service scheduled at a later date.
If you wish to honour Eileen, a donation to either the Qualicum Cat Rescue or the Arthiritis Society of British Columbia would be appreciated.
“To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die”