With her 91st birthday coming up next month, Eileen Dell figures she might as well call it a bowling career after 50-plus years of enjoyment in the sport.
Dell’s team the Yo-Yos and the Wednesday Afternoon Ladies Bowling League players hosted a special luncheon for her at Cariboo Bowling Lanes last Wednesday to wrap up play for the season, where the previous longtime owner of the local alley said her farewells to fellow bowlers for the year.
Dell’s bowling career, and what would eventually become the family business, began in Quesnel in the late 1960s when she joined a league and started bowling regularly.
When she and her husband, Herb, along with their four boys — Robin, Gerry, John and Albert — came back to Williams Lake in 1972, after having previously moved to the city in 1955, Dell said she was bored and looking for something to keep herself busy.
“The kids were all in school, and some had already finished, and I was looking for something to do,” she said. “I wanted some kind of job. My husband and I hunted all over B.C. and we decided to come back to Williams Lake and bought the bowling alley.”
The Dells were the third owners of what’s now Cariboo Bowling Lanes. They purchased the alley from Jim and Mina Nichols in 1972.
“I’d already fallen in love with bowling in Quesnel, so it worked out well,” she said. “My son Albert used to help us run the bowling alley when we bought it.”
At the time, Cariboo Bowling Lanes had six of what is now 10 lanes, an apartment built onto one side of the building facing Proctor Street and a wool barn store attached.
“I just really enjoyed mixing with the people,” she said. “You were always together with someone. I got to know many people over the years and lots of them are still bowling.”
In 1982 her son, John, took over running the bowling alley, and still keeps the family operation going today.
Eileen, meanwhile, found a group of comrades among what’s now the Wednesday Afternoon Ladies Bowling League.
“We didn’t always bowl on Wednesdays, but it was the ladies’ league,” she said. “I’ve been with the same team since it started.”
Currently, Peggy Bennison, Mary Lewis, Judy Newbery, Bernie McGregor and Darlene Bruce make up the Yo-Yos.
“The reason we picked the name was because our scores were always up and down like yo-yos,” she joked. “But last year was a highlight. We won the league championship for the first time ever.”
Asked what she’ll miss about her teammates and the league, Dell said the friendships made over the years, and the social atmosphere.
“Oh will I ever miss them,” she said. “This is home to me.”
Eileen said she won’t have a hard time keeping herself busy, however, as she has nine grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren.
Last Wednesday, Dell’s teammates presented her with flowers and shared many kind words.
“She’s just a great lady,” Peggy Bennison said. “I always said I want to be just like her when I grow up.”
Judy Newbery said Dell is an inspiration to everyone at the lanes.
“We all hope we’re there when we’re 90,” Newbery said.
Dell will turn 91 on May 21, but won’t be completely hanging up her bowling shoes just yet. She said she’ll still be available to spare for the league next year if they need an extra player.
“I’m going to miss these guys,” she said.
“The social aspect. We’ve had a lot of different people on this team over the years and they just keep getting better and better.”
