Lois Helen Cairns

After 108 glorious years on planet earth, Lois (Loie to her Cominco friends) decided it was time to go.

Born on March 11 in 1917, Lois was the youngest of eight children. Smart, athletic and saddled with a mop of curly dark hair that often obscured her brilliant green eyes, she suffered as many youngest children did and maybe still do. Despite her brilliance and spirit, she remained an afterthought, as her parents struggled to work out who was going to university, who was going to stay home and who was going to marry the proper young man or woman. In all the chaos, the aging parents often forgot about their youngest child.

So, upon graduating at the top of her class (no one noticed) she left her home in Estevan and travelled to British Columbia. Fierce, independent and ridiculously prim, she refused any help, compassion or empathy. She marched toward a life that she was going to master, no matter what and all on her own. She met William Allan Cairns, whom she admired even though he was her opposite in so many ways. But he was handsome, he had a full head of hair and he was a professional engineer. That was enough to build a huge family. Allan died in 1997. He was loved by all his children, his grandchildren and all those great grandchildren whom he never got to meet.

Meanwhile, Lois, who was just 80 when Allan died, enrolled in university to work towards a Bachelor of Arts Degree. At the same time, she honed her golf skills, became renowned as a master bridge player and continued to travel throughout the world either alone or with her daughters, all the while ruling as matriarch over an ever-increasing clan.

Lois leaves behind five children, 12 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Among them is a cardiologist who has received the Order of BC and Order of Canada, a Crown Prosecutor, a journalist, an editor, a systems analyst, a professional hockey player, teachers, lawyers, engineers, accountants, several entrepreneurs and many more that have yet to make their mark.

Goodbye to a woman that was constantly described as amazing. And she was, not only for her grit, iron will, energy, brilliance, fortitude, wanderlust, curiosity, stamina and titanium backbone, but for her flawless complexion that was the envy of her children, even her grandchildren.

Lois will be remembered at a private service - the date to be announced.

Contact Susan Cairns at [email protected]

Thankyou for all your help and consideration.

With best regards,

Susan Cairns

604-506-8131