From a very young age she demonstrated a bent for the arts, being asked by her classmates to draw nice flowery borders on their assignments. She also had a very generous heart sharing whatever she had, such as buying candy on a roll at the yearly carnival so that she could more easily share it with her siblings.
After primary school, a nun who recognized her artistic talents got her an apprenticeship in photography. Eventually she apprenticed with a master portrait photographer who took her under his wings having her live with his own family. Under his tutorship she excelled and was at the top of her class upon graduating as a photographer. In 1963 she emigrated to Canada where her brother Bernard and family had already settled close to Montreal.
Starting out working in a print shop she eventually landed a job with a portrait studio impressing her boss so much that he gave her working capital with which to open and manage a second studio in Montreal, Stanley Studios, being one of the first studios in the city to offer 1-hour passport photo service. One of her customers at this early date was Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the future prime minister, who was so impressed by her work that he gave her a $20 tip, the equivalent of 1/3 of her weekly salary.
In 1970 while taking an evening French course at McGill university she met her future husband, Roger Nowlan, who offered to help her learn French. This was the beginning of long partnership which lasted over 49 years, each helping the other whenever the need arose. Of particular note is the fact that after Roger lost his job through a layoff in 1972 she encouraged him to return to school so he could complete an engineering degree, something which until then had eluded him due to financial limitations.
Upon graduation in May 1974, Roger and Rosie moved to Aylmer where their son Michael, was born later that year.
In Aylmer, over the years, Rosie made many friends and was especially well-known for her baking abilities, making black forest cakes for many occasions connected with St Mark's parish.
She will be greatly missed by her husband, Roger Nowlan, her son Michael and family (Christiane and children Simon and Audrey), her brother Bernard Dertinger and family (Gunda and children Heidrun (Dominic Ryan) and Noreen) and many others within the extended family.
Over the past ten years Rosie became increasingly aware of the fact that her time here on earth was limited and that each day should be lived to the fullest. This sentiment she found reflected in a poem entitled "Clock of Life" which she so loved that she, albeit not a trained musician, was inspired to write a musical score for it.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5K3sRnhMi54NWPr97
Following are the words to the poem "Clock of Life" which so resonated with her.
The clock of life is wound but once,
and no man has the power
to tell just when the hands will stop,
on what day or what hour.
Now is the only time you have,
so live it with a will
Don't wait until tomorrow,
the hands may then be still.
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