Eileen was born in Calgary on January 16, 1927, but spent most of her childhood and adolescence in Vancouver and the Yukon. She achieved a Bachelor of Home Economics Degree from the University of British Columbia and an Internship Degree in Food Management from the University of Washington in Seattle. She first worked as an Administrative Dietitian at Simpsons and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She married in 1954 and spent two years teaching Home Economics in London, England and then settled in Waterloo where she raised four sons: James (1958 - 2003), Terry (1960 - 1992), Bruce (1962) and Eric (1963) and served as Director of Nutrition and Food Services at KW Hospital from 1967 to 1990. She is survived by her husband Loren Calder, her sons Bruce and Eric, her brothers Denis and Terry Bacon and her daughters-in-law Laurie Arlein Calder and Ellen Murphy and her grandsons Nathaniel Calder (James), Tye and Keegan Calder (Eric).
Eileen was a gifted manager with very good mathematical skills. She managed food services for the students at one of the dining halls at UBC and did an outstanding job of feeding the athletes at the British Empire Games in 1954 where the Miracle Mile was run by Roger Bannister of England and John Landy of Australia. She received a prestigious award for managing a top-level meal services program at KW Hospital by Bernard and Associates of Montreal and she developed a cost analysis system for managing food service departments which was adopted across Canada.
Eileen was never idle. She constantly read about nutritional subjects to support her professional work. She loved fabrics and made most of her own clothes. She served on the executive committees of social services agencies like the KW Habilitation Services. She enjoyed travel, especially in Europe and Canada. She was a superb cook, and she loved to entertain family and friends at dinner parties.
She will be grievously missed by her family and friends for her wise council, practical skills and loving support.
Cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2018 at Parkminster United Church, 275 Erb Street East, Waterloo, Ontario. Visitation to take place at 1 p.m. followed by the service at 2 p.m. and a reception at 3 p.m.
Donations can be made to the Grand River Hospital Foundation.