Version 6.01

03 March 2021

David March © 2014

All photos courtesy of  Debbie Tustin

Parents: Bertram Henry Read, born March 22, 1889 in London, England. May Bailey, born January 26, 1889 in Hanwell, Middlesex, England. Married August 25, 1913 in Shellbrook at the Anglican Church. They ran the store at Foxdale. Eileen was their only child.

Eileen, born April 27, 1921, attended school in Foxdale, and finished her schooling in Shellbrook. She joined the air force and married Norton Eric Tustin December 19, 1944. Norton made the air force his career. They had two daughters and retired to British Columbia.

From Our Harvest of Memories

At the age of 21, Eileen Tustin was a small town girl living in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan looking for adventure. While working as a telephone operator, she heard the Royal Canadian Air Force was opening up a Women’s Division. Eileen quickly enlisted on March 2, 1944. Along with some of her friends, she took the train to Manning Depot in Toronto for basic training. Although there was a lot to learn, it appears from her scrapbooks that Eileen led the other new recruits on many adventures visiting the sights of Toronto and Ottawa.

After training, Eileen was posted to Pat Bay, British Columbia to work as a telephone operator. It was there that she met Sgt. Norton "Tut" Tustin - it was love at first sight - Tut and Eileen married six weeks later on Dec. 19, 1944. Tut had to leave to serve overseas immediately and did not return until the war ended. Eileen left the Air Force on June 19, 1945, and Tut rejoined.

Eileen and Tut’s life in the service took them on postings throughout Canada and Europe. Her daughters, Debbie and Jo-Anne, remember fondly their years in Europe, from 1959-63 and 1967-70. Eileen was the foundation of the family who created a warm and beautiful home wherever they lived. She felt that it was important for her children to be exposed to all the history and culture that surrounded them. While in Europe their family made connections with English relatives in Essex, Nottinghamshire, Sussex and the Greater London area.

Eileen and Tut retired in 1974 to Sidney, British Columbia just a short drive from Pat Bay where they had met during the war. There they took up boating and Eileen joined many Ladies’ Groups where she did crafts, knitting and different sewing projects. In retirement, both she and Tut were able to thoroughly enjoy their role as grandparents to Jennifer and Matthew. Family time was always important to them.

Eileen was a warm and loving woman who gathered many friends throughout her life. Eileen was fondly remembered by all at her funeral service on November 3, 2005, as was Tut, who, heartbroken, died six weeks later, on Jan.9th, 2006. Theirs was a true love story.

Informant: Debbie Tustin (daughter) by email 31/12/10

Eileen’s discharge papers

Tut and Eileen

wedding photo

Tut and Eileen

Eileen, centre

Leading Aircraft Woman
W310863

EILEEN MAY READ