EILEEN FLORENCE DAHLQUIST (NEE WESSON, FORMERLY HOURIGAN)

It has been three years now since my beautiful, intelligent, and truly loving mother has been gone. It has taken me this long to consider her life and put into words what I would like to say in dedication, and I am hopeful those who have wondered about her in recent years will forgive me for not publishing an obituary when she died.

Eileen was born in London, England. She was the youngest child of Mary Emsley Wesson and James Wesson, and she spent some of her childhood, along with her brother Patrick, being sent to safety in the English countryside as part of Operation Pied Piper during The Blitz. As a young woman she attended The London School of Economics, spending part of that time living and studying in Lahore, Pakistan. Eileen was always a traveler and was able to visit India, Northern Africa, parts of the Middle East and the Mediterranean while attending University.

Eileen met and married Russell Edward Hourigan in England and they raised two children, Terry Lyn Hourigan (Bishop) and Jeffrey Russell Hourigan (1960-2003), primarily in Chula Vista, California.

After the tragic loss of her husband Russ in 1981, Eileen met and married Pastor William C. Dahlquist in 1984. They made their home in Las Vegas, NV and were married for thirty five years. They were devoted pastors of Blue Diamond Foursquare Church for many years, and after Bill's passing in 2019 and the onset of several health related concerns, Eileen moved to Ventura, CA for the last year of her life to be nearer to family.

Eileen was preceded in death by both Russ and Bill, her son Jeffrey, and her four older siblings. She is survived by her daughter Terry Lyn, her grandchildren Corin Bishop McMullin (Richard), Jenelle Bishop Myers (Bakari), Joseph Russell Bishop (Patricia Boyd) Brittany Hourigan and Jamie Lee Taylor. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren. Jovie, Juno, August, Dean, Callahan, and Astrid's visits in the last months of her life were a special treasure, and she was so grateful for each of them.

I do not have words and superlatives enough to express the love and respect I feel for my mother; my words will fall short of the mark. She was always my truest friend, and I know she is missed by those whose lives she touched and become part of. Eileen was a person who was genuine in her love for God and His creation. Her family and extended family through church and community, animals, a good mystery novel, attending West End plays and cruises all over the world, and appreciating the beauty of nature were most important to her. I miss her every day and I am so grateful to have so many wonderful memories of times spent with together and with family. Both she and Pastor Bill were generous in the extreme, always willing to listen and help in any way they were able. Annual Disneyland visits-our family Christmas gift each year from them- are treasured by each of us.

My sincere thanks to Kim and Gary Wyler of PA and NV, and Buena Vista Hospice of Ventura County.

Eileen's favorite line of poetry "I pray thee, then, write me as one that loves his fellow man," says everything about who she was, and is.

I love you Mom, and I will see you when I get there.