EILA MARY LAMB (TONNING)

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EILA MARY LAMB
(TONNING)

Peacefully, at the age of 95, Eila passed away on March 3, 2022 at Poseidon Care Home in Winnipeg.
Eila, an only child, was born in Vancouver B.C. and spent half her life there.
Selma, Eila's tenacious Finnish immigrant mother, spurred Eila's quest for challenge and higher education, and was her greatest inspiration. The Finnish word "sisu" (sustained strength of will, perseverance, determination and acting rationally in the face of adversity) embodies Eila's spirit and life trajectory.
Eila obtained a degree in food chemistry and agricultural sciences from the University of British Columbia and worked as a food chemist until marrying Charles Alexander Lamb and moving to a remote but beautiful logging camp overlooking Nimpkish Lake on Vancouver Island, where her husband was the teacher in the one room school.
Eila had four children; (Sandra, Louise, Kathy and Ross) while living in Nimpkish and organized all manner of creative community initiatives while encouraging her children's pursuit of creative and scholastic endeavours. To Eila, education, creativity, music and action were everything. She also had a deep appreciation for animal life and nature
The family made plans to move to Surrey, B.C., where they would live with Eila's mother for a year and Eila would get her teaching certificate at University of British Columbia, but Charles had to remain on Vancouver Island for a year to complete his teaching contract. Eila and her children were settled in Surrey and Eila had just begun her teaching career when Charles died very suddenly and unexpectedly before he could rejoin them.
With her typical tenacity, and help from Charles' brother Robert (Bob) and his wife Kathleen (Kay) to care for toddler Ross, Eila persevered through it all and raised her children, and completed her own educational and career dreams, which included a doctorate in educational psychology. She enjoyed a long career in teaching, educational administration and institutional leadership at various centres of higher education in Manitoba, B.C. and then in Alberta.
Tragedy intervened again with the death from lymphoma of Eila's beloved youngest daughter Kathy at the age of 18.
Eila eventually semi-retired to live with her oldest daughter Sandra first in Okotoks, Alberta and then in Lethbridge, Alberta. In Lethbridge they enjoyed a peaceful home overlooking a beautiful coulee. Eila kept her hand in with various educational service gigs while in Okotoks. Those "gigs" included teaching at the University of Calgary and a program of remote instruction for Athabaska University. She retired at the age of 79 and moved to Lethbridge with Sandra.
Tragedy struck again when Sandra became gravely ill and had to be placed in a nursing home. Eila moved to an assisted living facility in Lethbridge and visited Sandra regularly until Sandra's death.
Eila then relocated back to Winnipeg where her surviving daughter, her son and their families reside.
Eila was a passionate person who excelled in all of her endeavours. She loved to enjoy fine food and wine with family and friends and also loved reading and music. She had a deep appreciation for animals and nature.
Her family would like to thank the staff at the Poseidon Care Centre for their kindness and care especially during her last days.
A gathering will be planned at a later date. If friends desire, a donation to an animal charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 12, 2022