HAMMILL, Eileen (née Mack)

Passed away at the Guelph General Hospital with
her daughter at her side on March 28th, 2020. She was the beloved wife of
Ken O. Hammill, recently deceased (February 5, 2020) after 67 years of
marriage and older sister to the late Robert Mack (July 5, 2014). Eileen
will be greatly missed by her children Mike (Odette), John, and Cassie
(Murray), her 6 grandchildren Catie, JP, Connor, Sarah, James, Alex and
great grand-daughter Elspeth.

Born in Guelph Ontario, on March 16th, 1930, to Ellen M. Bulger and Horace
G. Mack. Eileen grew up in Guelph where she attended GCVI High School
before moving on to McMaster University, graduating with a BA. While at
University, Eileen met her future husband Ken, and they were married in
1953. After a brief stay in Oakville, the young family returned to Guelph
where they raised their family. Known for her strong mind, Eileen was
always ready to discuss and debate subjects related to European (Irish)
history, family and politics, all of which she adored. Always present to
run her children to the rink, whether for hockey or figure skating or to
the pool or soccer pitch, she ran a very tight ship. As her family grew
up, Eileen and Ken took much pride in supporting their grandchildren.

Like her husband, Eileen, felt very strongly about their community and
much of their efforts went to ensuring Guelph was a better place to live,
including helping to found the Guelph Community Foundation. Ken made his
own mark, but they made a formidable team, bolstered by Eileen's network,
strategic thinking and sober second thought. Active in politics, she
worked in many campaigns of the old Progressive Conservative Party
federally and provincially. During the 1960s, she served as president of
the Guelph Historical Society promoting the establishment of the Guelph
Museum and the preservation of Guelph's Heritage buildings. In the 1980's,
Eileen was instrumental in the establishment of the Southern Ontario
Library Service and served on a provincial government task force on public
library funding and was recognized by the Ontario Public Library
Association as Trustee of the Year in 1990. In her nearly 30 years as a
member of the Guelph Public Library Board, the library grew from a
circulation of less than 400,000 to 1.8 million, and from one location to
six.

Resting at the Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home, Hart Chapel, 1099
Gordon St., Guelph. Owing to the pandemic, Eileen will be interred in a
private service at Woodlawn Cemetery, Guelph on March 31st, 2020. Details
for a public service will be announced at a later date. As expressions of
sympathy, donations to the Guelph Public Library Fund under the umbrella
of the Guelph Community Foundation would be appreciated by the family
(https://www.guelphcf.ca/ForbrDonors/WaystoGive.aspx#donatenow). Cards
available at the funeral home (519-821-5077)