MARTHA EVELINE (EVELYN) ROURKE

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MARTHA EVELINE (EVELYN) ROURKE

(NEE NICHOLLS)

Evelyn Rourke, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully at the age of 99 years on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the Pasqua Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Regina, SK with her family by her side. Evelyn was born on April 21, 1924. She was the seventh child of 11 children born to Edward and Mary Nicholls of Wawanesa, MB. Evelyn had six sisters and four brothers, was raised on the family farm near Wawanesa, MB and attended school in the Riverside District. In order to complete her high school education she left home in Grade 10 and moved to Selkirk, MB where she worked for room and board in a family home while attending high school. Evelyn graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Brandon General Hospital School of Nursing in 1946 and began her nursing career in Ninette, MB at the Ninette Sanatorium. It was there that she met a young soldier from Moline, MB named Alfred (Alfie) Rourke who had returned with tuberculosis from serving overseas in World War II and the rest is history. Evelyn and Alfie were married in 1949 and resided in Brandon, MB. They had two children; daughter Wendelin (Wendy) Anne and son Alfred (Al) Joseph. In 1954, they moved their family to Melfort, SK and remained there until 1973 when they returned home to Brandon, MB. Evelyn enjoyed a long career in nursing. She was a Public Health Nurse in the Melfort area for a number of years and also nursed at the Melfort Geriatric Centre. Upon returning to Brandon, MB Evelyn continued nursing until she retired in 1989. Alfie suddenly passed away in 1989. Evelyn searched for hobbies and activities that would keep her engaged in life and found that playing bingo kept her mind active and helped pass some of the long hours during the day. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1999; Evelyn rose to the challenge and won her battle. In her later years she enjoyed bus trips to casinos and became an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan. Evelyn was an independent, inquisitive and upbeat person who enjoyed life to its fullest. She was a voracious reader and her insatiable interest in everything that was going on in the world around her made it easy for people of all ages to converse with her on many subjects. Evelyn was witty, outspoken, had a great sense of humor and could always tell a good story. These qualities endeared her to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family and friends.



Evelyn was predeceased by her parents Edward and Mary Nicholls; her husband Henry Alfred (Alfie) Rourke; her sisters Clara (Walter) Parish, Eva Nicholls, Ethel (Dean) Taylor, Lillian (Douglas) Sherred, Freda (Joseph) Kram and Florence (John) Perks; her brothers Gordon (Freda) Nicholls, Laurence Nicholls, Fraser Nicholls and Edward (Marion) Nicholls; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews.



Evelyn will be lovingly remembered by her children Wendy Haidey of Regina, SK and Al (Debbie) Rourke of Qualicum Beach, BC; her grandchildren Chad (Sarah) Haidey of Regina, SK, Brock Haidey of Regina, SK, Jodi Young of Chicxulub, Mexico and Clayton Rourke of Qualicum Beach, BC; her great-grandchildren Haley Parsons of Petrolia, ON, Isabelle Haidey and Everett Haidey, both of Regina, SK; nieces and nephews.



A private graveside service will be held at a later date and Evelyn will be laid to rest at Rosewood Memorial Gardens.

As published in Brandon Sun on Jan 13, 2024, Jan 13, 2024