Eirene Bouros
October 1, 1939 - January 9, 2000
Eirene Bouros, a long-time McGill employee, worked as departmental secretary in the Department of Classics from 1980 to 1995, when her illness caused her to take early retirement.
Eirene had an indomitable will to live and she lived her life to the fullest. Despite polio, which crippled her at the age of three, she insisted on finishing high school, travelling far from home to attend classes.
The accepted wisdom at the time she attended the MacKay Centre for Deaf and Crippled Children was that female students had no need of a high school education. Not being one to accept things at face value, she not only completed high school but went on to study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, complete an Honours BA in English Literature at Sir George Williams University, a Master's degree in Counselling at the University of Toronto and most of a Master's degree in English Literature at Concordia University.
She worked for many years as a secretary in the English Department at Sir George Williams/Concordia and was active in the creative writing group, publishing one of her short stories in the creative writing publication Outset.
Upon her return from Toronto, Eirene came to work at McGill as departmental secretary in the Department of Classics and in her spare time, did Greek-English translations for the Secretary of State.
Always concerned about others, Eirene never let her disabilities or illnesses interfere with her life, and right up to the end, she always had her sense of humour. We will continue to hear her infectious giggle for years to come.
First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1981, she fought the disease tooth and nail and all who knew and loved her never really believed that the disease would win. She leaves her mother Persephone, her brother Laz, his wife Carole and their two children Jason and Stephanie as well as her partner of many years, Jim Kowcz.
She also leaves behind a multitude of friends who feel honoured to have known her.
