Eileen Maria Brady (Cooke)

      To Eileen Maria Brady (Cooke), the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Eileen, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Eileen really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Eileen was born on February 12, 1966 at Toronto Western Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Her parents were Doug and Maria Cooke. Eileen was raised in Toronto. Even as a child, Eileen had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn't help but capture everyone's attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Eileen was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Eileen managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Eileen was raised with two siblings. She had one older brother Edward and one younger sister, Elisabeth.

      All of Eileen's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Eileen experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in swimming, baseball, soccer and skating. In her spare time she liked suntanning and chasing boys. Eileen's memorable achievements included being on the honour roll in school.

      Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Eileen was a class “cut-up.” She didn't do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Eileen simply enjoyed others' laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Eileen, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Eileen attended Riverdale and Monarch Park C. I. and graduated in 1985. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was math. Eileen had a baby girl, yet she still graduated from high school with high grades.

      Eileen never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Eileen to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Eileen delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Eileen was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Eileen utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Barb and Betsy. Eileen loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

      Perhaps the reason Eileen related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Eileen was blessed with two children, a daughter, Samantha and a son, Ryan. Eileen was also blessed with one grandchild, Joshua. Eileen had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that's where all of her attention was directed. Eileen's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Eileen had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Eileen was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Eileen liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Eileen was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Eileen's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Eileen as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was accounting.

      Eileen enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Eileen liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were reading and playing cards. Eileen was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

      Eileen felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn't the best, Eileen loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Eileen relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Eileen never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Eileen played soccer, baseball and was on the swim team. Recreational sports included baseball. Eileen was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, hockey and baseball.

      Living life in the fast lane suited Eileen just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacation spots included Germany, PEI, Nova Scotia and Florida.

      Eileen was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Eileen's favorites was a dog named Annie.

      Eileen passed away of heart failure on October 30, 2008 at St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto, She is survived by her children Samantha and Ryan, her grandchild Joshua, her mother Maria, her sister Elisabeth and her brother Edward, her grandmother Eileen Morris and two nephews and a niece. Eileen is also survived by her common-law spouse, Daryl Douglas. Services were held at Giffen-Mack "Danforth" Funeral Home and Cremation Centre, 2570 Danforth Ave., Toronto, on Wednesday, November 5 at 3:00 p.m.

      Eileen brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Eileen Maria Brady (Cooke) lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.