She was born in Dallas on July 12, 1938.
Eileen attended the University of Texas at Austin and left before graduating to become a flight
attendant for United Airlines. A move to Los Angeles was required for work, where she met
and married John Halverson in April, 1962. The airlines wouldn’t employ married women back
in the 60’s so she retired and pursued her teaching credential. She would substitute teach on
and off for many years. She ended up graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from the University
of Nevada, Reno in 1990 and went on to receive her Master’s degree from the University of
La Verne in 1992. Later in life she taught middle school students full-time for over a decade in
Southern California.
Eileen loved reading, gardening and caring for her dogs. She had dozens of dogs throughout
her life: a boxer, a German shepard, a Weimaraner, a pit bull, several dachshunds, and a variety
of mutts, but she especially enjoyed raising and showing her beloved bulldogs.
While Dallas was her birth and final resting place, she lived more than half her life elsewhere in
cities such as Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, Yorba Linda and San Anselmo, California;
Miami, Florida; Reno, Nevada; Madrid, Spain and Tecate, Mexico. She moved back to Dallas in
2007.
She was preceded in death by her her husband John Halverson, her sister Jean O’Rourke Stuart,
her nephew Kirk Stuart and her parents Francis O’Rourke and Marie O’Rourke.
She is survived by her daughters Karen and Stephanie Halverson, and her nephews Mike, Mark
and John Stuart of Dallas, Texas.
For those who wish to contribute in her memory, please do so to: Bulldog Club of America Charitable Foundation Or BCARN, Bulldog Club of America Rescue Network.Both have links on the BCA website.
Texoma Bulldog Club will be dedicating our July 2024 Shows in her memory.
