Elaine LEE

ELAINE LEE Elaine Lee passed away suddenly on the 18th of November, 2019. Elaine was the eldest child of Wilfred and Jean Lee. She was born in Val Marie, Saskatchewan on the 10th of June, 1954. Elaine is survived by her husband, Stephen Helliar; her son, Kevin Campbell; stepson, Michael Crossley; stepdaughter, Robin Crossley; and her brother, John Lee; as well her grandchildren, Alexa, Parker and Elsie. She was predeceased by her beloved dog Barclay, who passed away at Christmas time in 2016. Elaine grew up in many small communities across the province of Saskatchewan, as her father Wilf was in the RCMP. She attended high school in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. She obtained a bachelor of education and home economics, and taught high school for many years, mostly at Mount Royal in Saskatoon. She enjoyed the challenges of working with young students and trying to get the best out of them. She then took on a new adventure of attending Law School at the University of Saskatchewan and finished as the gold medalist in her graduating class while also caring for Kevin, who had just been born. After a short time in private practice, Elaine joined the Department of Justice as a lawyer dealing with the adjudication of many of the most important Aboriginal Land Claims across the country. She was known for her ability to develop creative legal arguments and her effectiveness as an advocate in Court. Elaine loved to travel. She developed the travel bug when she was taken to Europe as a teenager by her parents. One of her favourite memories was travelling behind the iron curtain in the 1980's before it fell. Her and Stephen recently spent a month touring around Sicily in their own car, which was symbolic of her desire for adventure. Her son Kevin was her pride and joy. She had recently moved to Burnaby, BC along with Stephen to enjoy the British Columbia climate in retirement and spend more time with Kevin, who lived in Vancouver. She constantly marvelled at the beauty of their new neighbourhood, and was looking forward to the continuation of a long and full life there. There will be a celebration of life at a later date. Friends and Family from all across Canada will be invited.