Obituary of Eileen Mary Lauder

Eileen Lauder 1920 - 2015 Eileen was born in 1920, on a farm just north of Calgary, the middle child of three girls born to Lila and Walter Slack. Even as a young child she remembered doing the outside chores while her two sisters had to stay inside and help their mother. These early experiences gave Eileen her love of hard work, animals, and the great outdoors. She is remembered as one who would rather be outside looking after the horses or digging in her flower beds than inside doing the dishes. Later, her family grew and she was joined by two younger brothers and the family moved to the big city of Calgary. It was there, during the war that her mother owned and operated Dance Halls and Eileen learned to dance, something that she loved to do all her life. But it wasn't in a dance hall that she met the love of her life. Eileen was waitressing in the Chrystal Caf in downtown Calgary when she met and fell in love with a handsome young soldier named Bob Lauder (who was really a rough and tumble rodeo rider in disguise). They married in 1940 and set out on their adventures together, and one thing that you can say about Bob and Eileen, their adventures were never boring. In the early 40's they were lured to Dawson Creek during the building of the Alaska Highway, where their family ran dray wagons for the bustling prairie community. The company name on the wagons was Lone Star, the symbol that eventually became their brand and has stayed with the family to this day. After the highway was built, they left the north to farm in the Huxley area. In 1949, Bob and Eileen welcomed their son Vern and their family was complete. Vern remembers his childhood with his mom and dad on their farm west of Huxley as a great place to be a kid. In 1957, they returned to Dawson Creek and in 1963 they realized their dream and bought their farm in Arras. They built a house and a barn on the property and it became their home for over 30 years. Eileen's kitchen soon became the centre of the community. You never went to visit that someone didn't drop by for coffee. It was around their kitchen table your met a host of local characters and learned the intricate stories and relationships between everyone you met and everyone you hadn't met yet. Eileen and Bob always had the coffee pot on and bought coffee by the case because you wouldn't want to run out! In time, Eileen was blessed by her two precious grandsons Burke and Brett, the apples of her eye, and eventually by her great grandchildren Bryson, Jamin, Neala and Evon. Eileen loved children and everyone knows that she had a special way with them, a connection. If you were having a hard time with your child, just hand them to Eileen and the problem was solved. She seemed to have a magic touch that could settle a fussy baby or distract a misbehaving toddler. Eileen never forgot how to play and make believe. She saw the world through their eyes and knew exactly what to do. Over the years Eileen touched many people's lives. She made many friends wherever she went; at work, through Eastern Star and through her church. She loved to travel and she would join anyone on a road trip at the drop of a hat. It was amazing the variety of people who considered Eileen their very special friend, second mom or second grandma. Eileen had the capacity to include everyone, love everyone, and make them feel like part of a big family. Just ask the numerous nieces and nephews who spent time in the summer at the farm, riding horses, feeding cows and running in the woods. Just ask the neighbourhood children who are adults now and remember the Lauder's farm as the place to go for unconditional support and the best piece of apple pie ever. How do you sum up 95 years of living and loving into some words on a page? How do you pay homage to a woman that has touched so many people in her life in deep and profound ways? It can only be through our memories and the memories of our children. We will all remember her laugh, her way with children; we will remember her friendship and her generosity; the cup of coffee and the piece of pie served with a bit of laughter and a dollop of fun. We will remember how, to the very end, Eileen showed us her ability to make new friends and keep the loyalty of her oldest and dearest. These are memories that we will all cherish of Eileen. Eileen is predeceased by her mother and father, Lila and Walter Slack, husband Robert Lauder, sister Bella (Joe) Spooner, and brothers Bill (Vicky) Hunter and Bud (Betty) Hunter. She is survived by her son Vern (Echo) Lauder, grandsons Burke and Brett (Leanne) Lauder, great grandchildren Bryson, Jamin, Neala and Evon Lauder, Dianne (Brian Ash) Lauder, sister Connie Kirkby, numerous nieces and nephews, and friends who loved and admired her. Service 1:00 pm Wednesday, July 8, 2015 Bergeron Chapel 10200-17th Street DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia, Canada V1G 4C2