Eileen May ROBERTS

1928 - 2023

EILEEN MAY STANT ROBERTS Born on February 17, 1928, in post war London, Eileen May Roberts died April 24, 2023, at her home in Parksville, BC. Survived by a gang of five kids and their partners, a wack of seven grandkids and a gaggle of seven up and coming great-grandkids, her work here is well and truly done. She shepherded a family through the post war migration to Canada of the 1950s. Armed with a wooden spoon, cat-like reflexes, an education in the domestic arts, some plain old common sense and a cleanup crew in the form of a redheaded four- legger named Sally. She raised five kids, kept them all fed and clean, taught them to read, and write, and do math. Mum, you showed us the beautiful things in life; flowers, and sunsets, dogs with puppies and horses noses, and just enjoying the view when you get the chance. Mum, you got us out the door to the school bus, complete with lunches. You were a subcontractor driving the car for the Globe and Mail paper route, and played paper delivery lady for us at 6 a.m. in an Austin mini. You were the driving instructor in the same mini later that day, and then would be home to prepare lunch and dinner for seven of us and then you loaded up the mini and got us to boy scouts and girl guides, before finally calling it a day. You did that for 20 years day in and day out. The Energizer Bunny would have gotten tired just watching you, I had to take a nap just writing it down. Instead of sitting back after the kids flew the nest, Mum involved herself with her grandchildren, her community, and took on full- time employment at various institutions until the move to BC. Finding her independence and sprouting her wings later in life, she began to see the places that she only read about for years. With her friend Jack, and that unbridled sense of adventure, she took to the high seas and saw many corners of the world until she got dry docked by mobility issues and a pandemic. She took up dominoes on Thursdays and along with the gambling grannies of Parksville, had a Friday afternoon card game complete with tea, Christmas cake, and chocolate biscuits. There were lunches with friends, side trips with kids to watch the ocean, visits from now grown-up grandchildren and a garage that always needed cleaning whenever there were spare hands available. Mum, Eileen, Gramma, Mrs Roberts, or whatever name we knew you by, we'll all miss your beautiful soul, your wicked sense of humor and the one constant in our lives, you and a place to come home to. Mum, we love you, and we're glad you were part of our lives. You'll live on in our hearts forever. Love you, Your family