Mary Rowlin

Mary Adeline Proctor Rowlin

It would be difficult to characterize the life of someone like Adeline Mary Proctor Rowlin in a single word. In fact, I think the only way to understand her is to know her story over these past 100 years. Well, to start, she was born on June 27th, 1916 in the small rural area of Hunter River, Queens County in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Her parents were James Edwin Proctor and Catherine Goodman, and she was the second child of five siblings. From the stories I have heard from my mother, her father was a good provider and farmer, and her mother was a loving home-care giver. All the siblings of Proctor family were expected to work the fields and do their chores, like picking the potatoes, feeding the chickens and watching their younger siblings; nevertheless, there was always time for fun fishing, swimming, skating, dancing or singing.

In addition to her work on the farm, Adeline was a excellent student, finishing all the way up to grade eight at Rennie Road Public School, and then completing finishing-school in 1935 in Charlottetown. It was at finishing-school where she met Mary Cullen, whom she became good friends with, both having an adventurous and outgoing personality. In fact, the city life in Charlottetown soon was not enough for these ladies! So after completing finishing-school, they both packed their bags and bought a train ticket to Montreal. You have to remember that this was in the middle of the Great Depression too! My mother and Mary were truly bold and courageous women!

To maintain their new home and lifestyle, they worked part-time, with long hours and weekends for very little pay and with considerably bad bosses. Later she would be fortunate enough to find full time employment with Canadian National Railroad (CNR) in a clerical position, where she would become friends with Myrtle Holden. She never thought this friendship would change her life so completely at the time, but it certainly did! Early in 1942, Myrtle and Bert Holden made arrangements for a blind date for their cousin (and my father), George Wharton Rowlin with my mother, Adeline. George was serving with the Royal Canadian Navy and was on shore-leave from the Grand Mere (Mine Swiper) dock in Montreal’s port. Maybe it was the Navy uniform or because he didn’t drink, but my mother and my father fell in love. In the end, George Wharton Rowlin married Adeline Mary Proctor on August 14, 1943 at St. Anthony Church Roman Catholic Church in Montreal. After the end of the war, they would start their life together, with George finding work at the Canadian National Railway in Sherbrooke west yards in Montreal, Quebec.

It didn’t take long for Adeline and George to have their first child. Gerald Joseph Michael Rowlin was born on Sept 4, 1946 in Montreal Quebec. Their littler family would stay in Montreal only for a short while longer, as after the passing of George’s sister, they soon packed their bags and moved to Toronto, Ontario to be close to George’s parents. George, Adeline and Gerald found an apartment flat on St Clair West, close to George’s work with his new employer, the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Shortly after, I (Ron) was born on April 7,1955 at St. Joseph's Hospital Toronto. Eventually Adeline and George both saved up enough money and were able to buy their first home in 1961 in Weston on 34 Windhill Crescent.

For the next ten years, things were rather typical: Gerald and I grew up, and Dad grew older, slowing down because of heart problems. Adeline Mary was there for all three of us, an we all enjoyed some great times together. However major changes in her life would come as on September 4th, 1975, her husband, George Wharton Rowlin, died from a massive heart attack. This was disastrous for the family. Mother being a strong individual, found solitude in church functions, Catholic Women’s society, Bingo, friends and part-time work. Mother was able to drive in the community and she flew to visit family. Eventually, Adeline Mary did not want to stay at the old home and with the help of Gerald, she sold and moved in the late Fall of1982. She moved to an apartment on Kipling Street. She would spend her days there with friends and visiting her family, us, in Vaughan. However, sadly once again, she was given another burden to carry. In the spring of 1990, Adeline lost her first son, Gerald Joseph Michael Rowlin, at Toronto General hospital, and this hit her like a brick. The last week of Gerald’s life, my mother could be seen reading the Bible all day and well into the evening.

Eventually, when Mother gave up her driving license she was around 92 years old, she quickly became anti-social. So, one year, we travelled to the East coast together. This was important because it was Adeline Mary going home for her last time and watching her grandchildren see her home roots. When her brother passed away in 1999, this was a very emotional time for her as well. Later, Margaret would pass away in 2006 too. At this point, we noticed that the Alzheimer's was just beginning to play with Adeline’s mind. The effects were slowly more noticeable as time progressed. When she realized the death of her sister, Margaret Lauretta Bolger (Proctor), she started reading the Bible again, as it became her source of comfort. After a bad fall in 2013, it was decided that long-term care was needed, and we were able to find a place for her at Deerwood Creek Care Community. She makes new friends with other residents and staff, but can sometimes be selective of who she chooses to socialize with. She also continues to keep the bible by her bedside.

Adeline Mary’s beautiful mind has seen so much, and she has lived through so very much as well. The things her mind has seen, thought and been through- you see, it would be impossible for one to describe any of that in just one word, so hopefully this story will give you a glimpse into her long and adventurous life.