Obituary of Eileen Anne Manchester

Eileen Anne Manchester (nee Kluck) was born September 27, 1940, the second child to Julius and Anne Kluck. Her brother Roman was born in 1937.

Mom attended school at Western Ridge (which has been relocated to the Provost Museum grounds) from 1945-1953, the balance of her schooling took place in Macklin.

She had dreams of becoming an airline stewardess, but due to the height regulations at the time, decided to go to McTavish Business College in Edmonton to get her Secretarial Course. Upon completion, she was hired at the Bureau of Vital Statistics where she enjoyed her job entering information on birth, deaths and family lineages.

On July 27,1962, Eileen married Grant Manchester, eldest son of George and Mathilda “Tillie”. To this union were born three sons, Thomas (1963), Scott (1965) and Clint (1972).

Our parents lived on Dad’s family farm and continued to do what they loved until 2014 when dad moved into St. Joseph’s Health Centre and mom settled into the Villa Marie Senior Centre in Macklin.

Mom loved to garden, canned meat and vegetables and made lots of jams. She helped on the farm and drove grain truck for 27 years, tended to the cows and kept the yard looking its best by planting flowers and keeping the hedges trimmed.

Mom was an exceptional cook and kept he family well fed with some of the best cooking you’ve ever tasted. She would never turn someone away at mealtime. Whether it was unexpected company or a mechanic fixing the tractor, she welcomed them all into her house for a meal. “I’ll just toss another spud in the pot and a plate on the table. Sit and enjoy”.

She played some ball and curled a little in her early years, but her real pastimes were collecting, hunting, fishing and playing cribbage, the last two being exceptionally good at. Mom seldom turned down a chance to go fishing with family or friends and enjoyed just sitting and visiting with people, even total strangers. She had a wicked sense of humor and would soon have everyone laughing or shaking their heads.

Mother passed away peacefully, with her family by her side, on July 21, 2023 at the Provost Health Centre age of 82 years.

She will be lovingly remembered and missed by her sons and their families, Tom (Cathy) and their children, Andy (Chantell), Cody (Krista), Shareen (Lorne) Geer; Scott (Tanya Chester) and their children, Madison and Nolan; Clint (Jill); brother, Roman (Evelyn); brother in law, Wallace; sister in law, Roberta Agar (Fred Plotnikoff); as well as her great grandchildren, Brittin, Emberly, Jayden, Donovan, Leyna, Kylee, Hailey, Kasen and Matthew; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended relatives.

Mom is predeceased by her loving husband of almost 53 years, Grant; parents, Julius and Anne; stepfather, Tom McDowell; parents in law, George and Tillie; daughter in law, Tanya Manchester; great grandson, Denton Manchester; brother in law, Wilf Gammel and sister in law, Edna Manchester.