IRENE ANNIE EATON (BRIMBLE) -

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IRENE ANNIE EATON (nee BRIMBLE) 1922 - 2010 Peacefully after a long illness at home on June 20, 2010, in her 89th year, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother Rene passed away in the presence of family members. She will be remembered with great fondness by her family: daughter Lorna Brown (Joseph) of Miami, Manitoba and son John Eaton (Ellen) of Winnipeg; granddaughters Jennifer Hill (Chad) of Miami, Manitoba, Susan Stephen (Scott) of Winnipeg, Penny Skead (Chris) of Kenora, and Margaret Eaton; grandson Edward Eaton; great-grandchildren Quincy and Briana Skead and Victoria Hill. She will also be missed by her sister Freda McEwen (Wheaton, Illinois, USA) and half-brother Maurice Salter (Reading, UK). Rene was predeceased by her adoring husband Laurence in 1998. Rene was raised by her grandparents, George and Annie Brimble, in London, Longlevens, and Cheam, England. In 1948 she married Laurie whom she met shortly after the War when he became a lodger at the home of her and her grandmother in Cheam. Accompanied by her grandmother and Lorna she immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario in 1951 where Laurie had begun a 33-year career at the Steel Company of Canada. The family lived in Hamilton until 1957 when they moved to the community of Grimsby, Ontario where they remained until 1970 before moving back to Hamilton. During her years in Grimsby and Hamilton Rene was a homemaker and volunteer with Meals on Wheels and St. Peter's Infirmary. She was known to many as one of the wittiest women they had ever encountered and was legendary in the family for her ability to make brilliant puns and write comedic lyrics to existing songs. Such was her intelligence and facility with language that she routinely completed cryptic crosswords in pen with relative ease. She was a great lover of animals and her house was always home to many cats and dogs throughout her married life. In 1984 Laurie retired from Stelco and he and Rene looked forward to many years of travel and leisure. Laurie's health began to suffer shortly after retirement and the opportunities to travel were limited. In 1992 Rene and Laurie moved from Hamilton to Winnipeg to be close to their children and grandchildren in Kenora and Winnipeg. Rene was a voracious reader of newspapers and books and was well-versed in current affairs and politics. Losing her eyesight in 2007 was difficult for her but she soon learned to love books on tape and listening to television and radio news. Despite her blindness she remained closely attuned to the goings-on in the world up until her death. Our thanks to the Manitoba Health Homecare Service for their many of hours of considerate attention to Rene, the staff of the Palliative Unit of Riverview Hospital, and CancerCare Manitoba. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Winnipeg Humane Society, the Canadian Cancer Society, or the charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at St. John's Anglican Cathedral, Winnipeg at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 25.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 22, 2010