Obituary of Eileen Helen Wilks

Our mother was strong.  She had to work hard and sacrificed so much of herself for everything she achieved. So strong, in fact, that she bravely fought the onslaught of dementia for several years before succumbing to its demands, this past year.  Her unbreakable 54-year bond with our father, John Wilks, led her to join him just seven days after his passing where we know their energy is forever entwined.  Mum was a beautiful person, inside and out, and she created beauty around her with her sewing, her talent for decorating the dream home that they built together, always designed with her special style and flair.  This applied to her wonderful preparation of meals for our birthdays and holiday events over the years, while always making sure we had “care packages” to take home and enjoy.  She was an accomplished career woman and, as a manager for many years, would mentor anyone she thought had potential, no matter what experience they had. She set the bar high and, even if you had some doubts, she knew you could achieve it. She applied this work ethic to herself and to her children and grandchildren and exemplified this ethic in her everyday words and actions.  She loved to read and was especially drawn to the world of science fiction.  In her downtime, you might find her faithfully watching her favourite episodes of Star Trek while trying out a new recipe or mending a hem.  Or, you might catch her just reflecting and enjoying a beautiful day, listening to the birds and the wind in the trees on the back porch of the house at the lake. Mum had the best laugh, and we will carry her counsel, her love and her generosity with us for always.  Grief is strange and powerful. It changes you; it changes the atmosphere of the Earth, it floods you with memories and missed moments, it shapes you. Once it knows you, it walks with you everywhere, always by your side, always in your ear, always where you never want it.  Thank you, Dr. S. Bester, Dr. V. Pillay and Dr. S. Duranni for years of wonderful care.  We can never express just how grateful we are to the amazing caregivers at St. Joseph’s Integrated Care Centre in Lestock, SK for their compassion, genuine love and kindness for our mother.

“I’ve got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me here, feet on ground,

heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself” Jann Arden.