Monday, October 10, 2022
Eileen and I were cousins. Our Healey grandfathers were brothers. I live in California and somehow managed to connect with Eileen in Canada years ago (I wish I could remember how I found her!). We shared a strong interest in Healey family genealogy and worked together on the family history for many' many years. One of Eileen's great finds was managing to get a copy of our Healey great-grandfather's military records from the Canadian government. After we corresponded for a few years and exchanged information, I traveled to Ontario and to St. Marys to meet Eileen and John and spend some time with them (1994?). Stayed with them in their wonderful cottage outside St. Marys. From then on, I (usually with my husband but also with a cousin a couple of times) traveled to London/St. Marys every two years and spent a week or ten days in the area each time. Eileen and I wanted to put a proper monument on the grave of our Healey great-grandparents in St. Peter's Cemetery in London. We collected contributions from Healeys in the U.S. and Canada, and Eileen and I designed what I think is a beautiful, fitting monument for them. We gathered descendants from the U.S. and Canada and held a brief service at the cemetery before driving to John and Eileen's cottage in St. Mary for a wonderful luncheon. I know this occurred in 2004. We loved time spent with John and Eileen and wish we could have spent more time with them. Eileen and I shared a love of books and travel and family and genealogy and animals. I saved every letter she ever wrote to me, and there are many, because almost all of them contain history information. I loved her dearly, and she will be greatly missed. Sharon Healey Bartholomew - Valley Center, California
