It is with deep sadness that the family of Eileen Jackson announce her passing on March 13, 2024. At her request, there will be no funeral service.
Eileen Jackson was born, in the White Chapel district of London, England, on Oct 12, 1934, to Charles and Julia Turner. She was the youngest of three daughters, a sister to Patricia and Barbara. Her children Jason (Nicole) Jackson, Leanna (Sterling) Shaw, Shari Jackson, and her beloved Grandchildren / great grandchildren survive Eileen. Her Brother-in-law Thayer (Nelda) Jackson, sister-in-law Carol Jackson, and brother-in-law Peter Fenner as well as several loving nieces and nephews. Eileen was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Benner Jackson, her parents, Charles and Julia Turner, mother-in-law Clara Jackson, sisters Patricia (John) Langdon, Barbara Fenner, sister in law Vilma (Bud) West and Brother in law Eddie (Maureen) Jackson, brother in law Dewayne Jackson and nephew Jodi Jackson.
Eileen spent her first 24 years of life in London. At just five years of age, she was exposed to the hardships of war as Great Britain entered WWII. As a small child, she was separated from her sisters and parents, during the war. She was among the 800,000 children evacuated from London, she was fostered into Wales. Before the end of the war, Eileen was reunited with her sisters and family back in London, where her new norm became the sound of air raid sirens constantly alarming, gas masks always in tow, and an emergency response plan that involved a bomb shelter. At this young age she was exposed to the necessity of helping others, this caring heart eventually lead her to a lifetime career within the profession of Nursing.
Eileen attended the University College Hospital (UCH) in London where she started her nursing journey at the age of 17. Upon graduation, Eileen continued her education with midwifery training at the Fulham Maternity Hospital, in Fulham England and St James hospital in Balham, England. During her nurse training Eileen along with her good friends Helen Maxwell and Doris Curtis, spent their free time scootering all over England, in particular the South of England and into France, enjoying many a great adventure together, which she always spoke fondly about. Eileen graduated top of her class and decided she would work a year in London as a Midwife, and then planned to apply to work in Canada, as she had heard there was shortage of nurses in Canada. Eileen did travel to Canada via ship in 1958, with her good friend and fellow nurse Doris. This adventure landed her in small town of Cabri, Saskatchewan, where the local board hired both her and Doris. She intended to stay and fulfill her two year contract, then continue along her travels; however, in Cabri she met the love of her life, Benner Jackson. Benner and Eileen Married in 1959, and Cabri became her forever home the place she raised her three children, Nursed, and later welcomed many grand children into open arms.
Eileen had a fulfilling and successful career as a nurse in Cabri, with a strong voice advocating for patient, community and service. She was always among the strong advocates pushing for hospital expansion and services within her rural community, meals on wheels programs, new facilities for outgrown spaces, a special care homes for an aging community and accessibility to health care services within her rural community, just to name a few. She was the director of nursing from 1965-1966 and 1968 through to her retirement in 1995.
Eileen held many advanced certifications within her nursing career to better serve within her rural community. Along with being a RN, a certified midwife in England, she was also an EMT, and held advanced certification in hospital administration, if she thought her community needed a skill to assist their health outcomes, she took a course. Outside of nursing, Eileen was an athlete. She was dubbed the “Netball Nurse”, during her nurses training, being among the top college players of the time. She was also was an accomplished tennis player, and took pride in having trained under British Open Winner, Janet Morgan.
Eileen was also an accomplished swimmer, holding her English Nationals in Swimming before coming to Cabri. In Cabri, she worked as a lifeguard in her early years, and taught speed swimming. She had a desire to-follow in her dad’s footsteps, whom was a gymnast and performed before the King, she too loved gymnastics, and she loved the free feeling of flying through the air.
Eileen had many hobbies in life, many of which were self-taught. She practiced many hours and become an accomplished piano player. Eileen also loved to knit, embroider and cross-stitch making some of the best gifts for her grandchildren. She spent many hours in her garden of flowers and vegetables; it was not often her home did not smell of fresh cookies or buns. With her positive attitude and loads of determination, there was nothing she could not do.
Eileen is to be remembered as an action maker, caregiver, community health care advocate and leader, and fighter for the retention of health care services within her community of Cabri and by us, her family, as an amazing, resilient, loving and hardworking mom and grandma. There was no one who could give a better hug.
Eileen spent this past year on a path of returning home, back home to her family in England in Alzheimer’s, and back home to Cabri, the community that she loved living within and had devoted her nursing career to and the facility that she helped plan from the ground up. We thank the entire Cabri Prairie health Care Staff and doctors, and the Meadows House 3, for all the loving end of life care provided her. Special thanks to Deacon David Hagel, your prayers brought her the peace and comfort she was seeking.
Donations in Eileen’s memory can be made to the Alzheimer society or to the prairie health care center in Cabri.
We are going to miss you mom, we love you far beyond the words on this page, rest in peace.
To our Irish English mom:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand
Arrangements entrusted to Warren's Funeral Home. For further information please call 1-306-773-8831 or 1-800-267-6606, or visit the website www.warrensfuneralhome.com and express your sympathy to family members on the tribute wall.