Eileen (nee Tyler) was born in Westview, BC, a small suburb of Powell River on the BC coast. Her first years were in Westview until 1939 when her father, Butch Tyler (a game warden), her mother, Lily Tyler, and her older brother, Graham Tyler, moved to Invermere BC, at that time a small and quiet town in the Canadian Rockies. Although her parents would later move to Kamloops and Penticton before moving back to Invermere, Eileen remained in Invermere for the rest of her life. She loved the community and put down roots, marrying Luigi Ambrosi. They had one child, Joey, who grew up in Invermere and now resides in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta with his wife, Valerie Danielson, close to their son, Tyler Ambrosi, who was given his grandmother’s maiden name.

Eileen was active in community associations, most notably the Loyal Order of the Eastern Star and the United Church Ladies Auxiliary. With the Eastern Star, for decades she cut and prepared cancer dressings for use in hospitals across the province. She had recently received a 60-year pin from the Eastern Star, acknowledging her work.

Eileen had many activities she enjoyed immensely, particularly gardening, both flower and vegetable. She was always generous with her vegetable bounty and many friends and family left her home with a bagful of fresh vegetables and maybe even a few flowers. She loved cooking, especially big holiday meals that included her homegrown vegetables and maybe even a trout she had caught. There were always card or board games to be played after a big dinner was complete.

Eileen’s love of the outdoors came from her parents and older brother, and that love continued throughout her life. As a teenager and in her early 20s she worked on several guided backcountry horse trips in the Rockies as a cook. She loved camping at local lakes with her husband and son and other local families, most notably George and Joanne Thouret and their family. Eileen later became an avid angler, catching her share of the trout. Beginnings of camping were a tent, then a Volkswagon van, then a truck and camper and finally a trailer. Beyond the local lakes, there were trailer trips throughout BC, including trips to Penticton to visit her parents; to Summerland to visit her brother Graham, wife Betty and son Gary; back to Westview and Powell River to visit relatives and down into the United States. Reno was a popular cross-border destination, and Eileen picked up a fondness for gambling (penny machines only!). Even in her last years, she enjoyed the occasional trip to St. Eugene Casino near Cranbrook, BC or to the casino in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. At home, there were regular poker games on winter Saturday nights with friends and family. Eileen also did some out-of-country traveling that included cruises to Alaska, Mexico and several to the Caribbean. She did a trip to Walt Disney World when in her 70s with her family and had a grin as wide as any kid in the place at each new adventure. She also did 3-week trip to Australia with her son, Joey, and his family that included stops in Fiji and Hawaii.

Eileen was a rabid reader, and in later years until her eyesight began to fail, she would go through 2-3 mystery novels a week. Knitting was a big part of the long winters and many friends and family members received her classic slippers at Christmas. She loved to curl and was part of the local curling club for many decades. In later years, she took a try at golf, and enjoyed it very much although the skill level was modest at best. More recently, she took a shine to the Toronto Blue Jays, and caught as many Jays’ games on television as she could.

Eileen was a kind, generous person who made friends easily and who loved to sit and chat over a coffee, whether at home or around a campfire at a lake. Eileen will be missed by all those who met and spent time with her.

Eileen passed away after a very brief illness at the Invermere and District Hospital on October 13, 2025, with her son, Joey, his wife, Valerie, and their son, Tyler, at her side. She was predeceased by her parents, Butch and Lily Tyler, her brother, Graham Tyler, and by her husband, Luigi Ambrosi.

At Eileen’s request, there will be no funeral. A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2026. In lieu of flowers, Eileen had requested that friends and family, who feel so inclined, should make a donation to the charity of their choice.

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