Rosalie Elizabeth Gillespie

She is survived by her children Janet Roberts, Megan Gillespie, Alan Gillespie; grand-children Lexi Gillespie-Thomasson and Angus Gillespie; sons-in-law George Ritchie and Robert Roberts; brothers Tony and Stanley Triggs; a host of nieces and nephews; and family friends.

Mom was a mountain person, growing up in the interior town of Nelson B.C. She and her siblings hiked the mountains of the area, rowing on the Kootenay Lake, and swimming in the frigid waters. Mom was very athletic and a lifeguard while there. While attending UBC, she was a member of the Varsity Outdoor Club. They would hike all around BC, and spend weekends in the winter climbing mountains to ski down. Many of those slopes now have ski lifts. She retained a love of the outdoors throughout her life.

Mom graduated from the Senior Matriculation (grade 13) program at Nelson High School in 1945. Winning an award for scholastic excellence that year set her up for university. She obtained a Master’s of Science in Agriculture in 1950 at UBC.

Rosalie met Dad (Douglas C. Gillespie June 26, 1927- September 25, 2013) at UBC, and married September 6, 1954. They moved to the US while dad worked on his Ph.D. Mom was a research assistant for several research scientists at Western Reserve University, and the University of Illinois. Her name is on several scientific papers from the work she was doing there. Alan was their first beautiful baby while they were living in Illinois. Their two daughters, Megan and Janet soon followed when they moved to Ottawa.

The family moved to Winnipeg in the spring of 1967. Once we were all in school, Mom went back to work part time as a lab/research assistant at the University of Manitoba. This became full time, leading to training as an electron microscope technician. Towards the end of her career she was the electron microscope technician at the Agriculture Canada lab at the University of Manitoba. Here, she also ran the lab including budgeting and ordering.

Mom always had a desire to go to art school but leaned towards being practical in getting work after getting a degree, so she practiced art on the side throughout her life. She always encouraged us kids to draw, paint, carve, build, create and use our imaginations--- we could never get bored. As soon as she retired, she dove right into doing art - a lot! Besides the out of doors, art was her heart's fulfillment and the huge amount of work she left behind shows this. Mom was very open to experimenting with techniques to achieve the expressions she wanted. Many of her pieces have been bought by friends and strangers over the years. The ladies in her art group where always impressed with her fearless approach to a project.

The family cottage was Heaven to Mom. She would often disappear for hours at a time clearing the trails. Gardening expressed and fulfilled her love to be outside in the city. In her forested back yard on Temple Bay, the multitude of flowers blooming trees and a vegetable garden created a peaceful place which was a delight for all who entered.

We are left with warm memories of Mums many gifts to us and life, and some amusing memories of her stubbornness and feistiness. She was never a pushover. In the last few years, another offering was the soft gentle glow which often brought smiles to the faces of strangers while out shopping, and the nurses and aids in the hospitals.

Now she is one with the ever presence of the Universe. Love from us all.