Eileen Willoughby Tinius

Eileen passed peacefully in her memory care home near her daughter Dawn in Louisville, KY at the age of 97. Eileen was born in Morcambe, England to Florence and Albert Edward Willoughby. Sadly, Eileen's father passed from tuberculosis when she was a child. Eileen's mother married Tom Thurlby. Tom had lost his first wife (who happened to be Albert's sister) to tuberculosis! Tom brought his three children into Eileen's family; Betty, Olive and Gordon.

After Eileen served in WWII as a member of the British Women's Royal navy, she accepted an invite from an American soldier to join him in the US. She fell in love with the country and soon referred to the states as "My Land of Milk and Honey." But her romantic feelings didn't continue with the soldier, Mr. Samuel Price. In her mid twenties, she made her way to San Francisco, where she met and married Joseph T Jackson. The two often went to see young Johnny Mathis perform at The Rendezvous where Eileen told him he would "make it big" some day!

Eileen and Joe were married 53 years had two children, Tara and Dawn and several dogs. The couple lived in CA, AZ and WA, most with beautiful expansive views! Just before Joe's passing at 85, Eileen had joined a senior writing class on Whidbey Island where she met Daniel Tinius. He had three grown sons. When they married September 5 2011, Eileen was 87 and Daniel was 90. The two possessed a fearless teenage-like zest for life and continued their lives of learning and travelling the world together -- for seven years! A memoir about their remarkable and adventurous romance in living the life you want, will be published this year by Eileen's daughter Dawn McMillion, now married to Paul McMillion.

Eileen's memory began to falter half way through her marriage to Daniel, but they both powered through, never asking for help. Eileen loved all of her many dogs, gardening, writing, designing clothing, martinis and knitting. She was a spirited fighter for whatever she believed in. She liked things "fair and square", was never late and believed naps were a waste of time! Her zest for "getting out" and doing new things and her easy laugh will be missed by many.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or Humane Society. Her surviving relatives are daughter Dawn and many nieces and nephews - Clive and Grant (Betty's sons in England) Nancy, Jane, Susan, Paco, Betsy and Alex (children of Joe's sisters, Eleanor Marshall and Barbara Dorn).