Eileen Winnifred Whitehead

Eileen Whitehead, 92, died on March 12, 2026, at Shuswap Lake General Hospital. Eileen was predeceased by her loving husband, Ted Whitehead, with whom she was married for 62 years. Together, Ted and Eileen had 6 wonderful children: Leslee Lucy (Jim Adams), Susan Bondar (Rob Sutherland), Bob Whitehead (Sue Whitehead), Mike Whitehead (Diane Whitehead), Judy Collins (Colin Campbell), and Ken Whitehead (Rena Whitehead).

Eileen also leaves behind 16 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, her sister Mary Edmiston and many nieces and nephews.

Eileen was born on the final day of December 1933 in Burnaby, BC where a he spent her childhood in Burnaby with her siblings Gordon, David, and Mary. At the loss of her mother at the age of 10, Eileen took on the role and responsibilities that come with being the matriarch, taking care of her siblings and her father.

Eileen met Ted, at 18 years old in 1951, when she was a nursing student working at Essondale Hospital in Coquitlam, BC. The two were quickly inseparable (at Ted’s insistence). Eileen told Ted she wanted a big family, and he agreed to her terms when they married on October 3, 1952.

Over the years, they had 6 children. They lived in many communities, including Nelson Island near the Sunshine Coast, a small community in the Cariboo on the Fraser River, and then Sicamous.

On the isolated, rustic Nelson Island, Eileen had to pack water for the family and received all mail and groceries by boat. Leslee was just a baby when they arrived on the island for Ted’s job in logging. A few years later, when they left for the Cariboo, the family had grown to include Susan and Bob. Across the Margarite Ferry on the Fraser River, Eileen raised the kids, homeschooled Leslee and supported Ted in his new sawmill business. Once again, the family grew with the addition of Mike. On a trip to Sicamous to visit family, Eileen found her place in the world and her forever community. She told Ted, “I don’t know what you’re going to do for a living, but I am not leaving”. They moved to Sicamous in March of 1961, and here they would stay.

True to their vows and commitment to having a big family, Ted and Eileen had two more children, Judy and finally Ken.

Over her 6+ decades in Sicamous, she used her resourcefulness and pioneering spirit in her work. She became one of the first women to work for BC Ambulance, where she stayed for almost 20 years, becoming a role model for the woman who came after her. She was the swim instructor at Silver Sands, teaching all the kids (and their parents if she learned they couldn’t swim). Over these years, she continued to support Ted in his numerous endeavours, including owning a gas station & shop, a construction company, and a forest restoration company. She was the engine that kept Ted working.

Eileen was elected to the first-ever Sicamous town council and was reelected twice before leaving her municipal work. She was instrumental in establishing the Restorative Justice program, which offered alternative resolutions for young community members who found themselves in trouble.

Eileen volunteered her time to many community societies and clubs, including the curling club, minor baseball, the Senior’s Housing Society, and the seniors' meals program, among others.

Eileen was also a traveller. Ted and Eileen travelled often to Manitoba to visit Ted’s family. She travelled solo by train to Manitoba pregnant with toddlers, and then back with a newborn. A couple times, she also went by car to Manitoba and Toronto with her kids and some grandkids too.

Eileen and Ted camped all over BC and Canada including many long-legged excursions to the north (NWT and Yukon). They even took their motorhome as far as Newfoundland. She travelled to Europe and cruised to Alaska and the Panama Canal. She also travelled with her daughters and daughters-in-law on annual “sister” trips.

Eileen’s greatest wish was to have a big family. Her 6 children gave her 16 grandchildren, and those grandchildren have given her 31 great-grandchildren. Eileen loved to see her family grow, she would snuggle the new babies for hours and she would travel any distance to watch any family member play any sport.

She was the visionary of this family; she was our matriarch; she was the steady support for Ted’s entreprenuerial spirit; she is the reason we all love so deeply and cherish family above all things.

The family would like to take this time to say thank you to the wonderful community at Andover Terrace Seniors Community, where she lived for the last 8 months. She found new friends and a new passion for playing pool while living there, proving you are never too old to learn new tricks!

And finally, to the staff at Shuswap Lake General Hospital, we are so grateful for the gentle care and attention you showed Eileen in her final days, giving the family space to put our arms around her and send her off to her beloved Ted.

A celebration of life for Eileen will be held July 18, 2026 at 3pm at the Sicamous Legion.