Eileen Edey was born on July 31, 1920 in Carmengay AB. She was 1 of 9 children of Alexander and Margaret Edey. At age 7, in November 1931, Eileen and her family moved by train to Wanham. Her parents had taken a homestead at Kadot Lake in the West Vale District, and they soon built a log house there. Eileen and her siblings attended West Vale School. She worked on the farm and cooked for the thrashing crews. Even though the family was rather poor, they had very happy times. After a few years the family moved to Heart Valley.
Eileen enlisted with the Army in 1941 being one of the first women to join from the Peace River District. Posted at the Currie Barracks in Calgary, she distributed clothes to soldiers. During that time, Eileen developed scarlet and rheumatic fever. Thankfully she recovered as penicillin had just been discovered. She met Ralph Pringle who was in the air force. Both were honorably discharged, and they dated for a couple years. They were married in 1947.
Eileen took a job at a silk shop named Sobies, and then she worked at the Bay department store for double the wage. Ralph filed on a homestead in Heart Valley, and the couple moved there. They farmed and started a family of 4 boys: Dale, Ronald, Wayne, and Lyle. In 1952 the family moved to Grande Prairie, and in 1955 they moved to Pouce Coupe BC. Teaching their sons to love the outdoors, they enjoyed fishing, hunting, and river boating together. Eileen was hardworking. A passionate gardener, and an avid knitter, she canned fish, moose, chicken, made jam, and baked bread. Ralph predeceased her. Eileen passed away at age 89 on June 17, 2010, in Dawson Creek. Interment was at Riverview Cemetery.
Source: Grooming the Grizzly pp. 299-300; Photos of family and house p. 299
Beaverlodge Funeral Service – Obituary