Obituary of Eileen Halfpenny

Passed away peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones at the Sault Area Hospital at the age of 80 years. Cherished wife of Ron for 61 years.  She will be sadly missed by her sons, Patrick and Brian, her grandchildren, Blake, Candice and Taylor, great grandchildren Jaxon and Lyra, her sister Dorothy Furlong and her nephew Robb Furlong.

Eileen was born in Montreal and met the love of her life, Ron Halfpenny as a teenager. They married on August 18, 1962.  As the matriarch of a military family, when the Armed Forces gave Ron his marching orders, she would pack up her two sons and the family belongings to start another adventure. The family moved often and lived in Fredericton, Montreal, Borden, Edmonton, Germany, the Netherlands and finally settling in Sault Ste. Marie in 1977.

In her professional life, Eileen assisted in supporting her family by working wherever the family was posted.  Her proudest accomplishment was attaining the position of Regional Supervisor for the Ministry of Tourism for the travel centres that spanned from Sault Ste. Marie to the Manitoba border, including Pigeon River, Fort Frances, Rainy River and Kenora.

As she travelled through these places during her lifetime, the locations inspired her as an artist to capture the beauty of the area on canvas and paper.  Her favourite place to paint was the Montreal River.

A talented artist, Eileen’s beautiful water colour artistry following the group of seven styling has been displayed locally at the Art Gallery of Algoma, Sylvan Valley Art Tour, City of Sarnia and internationally in New York City, Florence and Venice, Italy.

Eileen’s passion for painting was something she loved to share and spent several seasons teaching tourists on the Agawa Train Tour how to create works of art of their own.

She will be eternally missed by her family and friends who take solace in knowing she is in a better, more peaceful place waiting with open and loving arms to greet us with her fetching smile and infectious laugh.  This is not goodbye but au revoir.

Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Life “Come and Go” in the Reception Centre at Northwood Funeral Home Cremation and Reception Centre (942 Great Northern Rd, 705-945-7758) on Saturday, July 8, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Art Gallery of Algoma (cheque only) would be greatly appreciated.

A heartfelt thank you to the Doctors and Staff on 1B at the Sault Area Hospital for the care and compassion shown to Eileen and her family.