It saddens me that I am unable to be with you all to celebrate Rosie's life, but, at the same time, so very, very grateful that she and I had so many good times, and shared memories, while she was with us.
Of particular note was our return together, a decade ago, to where we grew up in rural N.S. Our Down East Road Trip was notable for the comradery that we've shared since our mother passed away in 2002. Before that we'd allowed our lives to get caught up in the raising of our own children. A common enough story!
Her children were her joy... She played a big and loving role in their lives, and the lives of her beautiful grandkids. We never talked but that she mentioned how proud she was of all of them. What great parents Kyle and Erin turned out to be, Connor's sports activity and Kara's dance... how each of Kyle's children were doing, and how excited she was to have Ella named in her honour. She delighted in all of that.
Rosie also loved music and dance, and several times she joined me at the annual Blue Skies Festival near my home in Eastern Ontario. We had talked about the potential of her getting back there this year for its 50th anniversary. She'll be with me in Spirit.
She enjoyed road trips. Our most recent was in September of 2021, along the Talbot Line, almost end-to-end from Lexington to Welland. The very first person to ride along in my converted camper van, which I now spend time in, in the Arizona desert, she was both flexible and adaptable in her requirements, insisting, for instance, that I take the bed and she the air mattress on the floor, while I'd been insisting the opposite. As was often the case, she got her way. Whether we pulled over on the side of the road for the night or camped on private property, she was up for it. She was outgoing, loved meeting people and we laughed often.
Until she was struck with lung issues, she was always keen on adventure and outdoor activities with Gerry. One of their favourite places was the Tobermory area. They'd been there many times, camping, hiking and canoeing. When Rosie could no longer join in the physical activity, she was always keen to hear my stories and tales of adventure, never once lamenting that she could no longer join in. Instead, she did what she could, and reveled in that.
On a trip to Tobermory,in later years, she directed me to the Grotto. She was right that it was an awesome landmark. Astoundingly beautiful, and not to be missed! While there, she introduced me to the Bruce Trail and its end point cairn. Little did I know, at the time, that that trail was to play a big part in my life, and for that to become our final shared memory. For those unfamiliar, The Bruce runs, 908 kms, along the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, from near Niagara Falls, right through to that cairn in Tobermory.
The last time I saw her was in August, this past year, when, day after day, for five days, she got up before dawn in order to play Trail Angel to her youngest niece, Elisha, and me, as we hiked the Bruce, end-to-end, over 47 days. An epic mother/daughter journey. The Trail Angel's role was to meet at my van and return us to where we'd ended our hike the previous afternoon. Some of those days, she travelled an hour each way to drive us a mere 20 km, bringing us treats and sweets for the hike. These treats included her homemade egg bites and her version of my favourite down-east oat cake... yummmmm. That's just the kind of person she was. Generous and thoughtful to a tee.
The two of us would often meet in Peterborough, usually between our birthdays in the summer. We'd book a room, share a bottle of wine (or two) and tell our tales... recollecting, though not always agreeing on versions of our past, while sharing our dreams and sorrows. She was good company, gregarious, compassionate and as good a listener as I've ever known. She knew the right questions to ask in order to draw you out, and was genuinely interested in your responses and your story.
Rosie had her struggles over the last decade, but she never complained. We had many conversations about death. She did not fear it. Her biggest fear was becoming a burden, and she was never that. Not to me. I miss her, and always will. While a part of each of us died with her last week, she left us all better people for having spent time with her in this life.
Rest in Peace Rosie...and dance with the angels til we meet again...
