Marguerite Jean (Jeanne) Rowles

December 6, 1926 – October 3, 2021

New October 2022

Trinity St. Paul's newsletter item by Lynne Stott
October 3rd marks the death of Jeanne Rowles a year ago.  However, Jeanne’s legacy lives on in many ways.  The team who supported Jeanne over her last couple of months worked with me to find new homes for her possessions.  The most important one was Jeanne’s electric wheelchair.  Jeanne was always fiercely independent and wanted to still be able to take part in the activities that mattered the most to her.  She advocated with staff at Christie Gardens to be the first resident at Christie Gardens to have one.

After much searching for an organization that would take the wheelchair, I found Purinapaq Mobility Without Borders.  The video that they sent arrived last week from Jose Orozco said what an incredible impact this made for the person who received the wheelchair. Here is the link of the video made in Camagüey Cuba.  https://youtu.be/x7IvWm37SIQ  I know that Jeanne would be pleased that her wheelchair is giving this man a new lease on life.

Thoughts by Tracy Kett
As we approach a year since our dear friend died, Jeanne is still strongly present in my life and she continues to make me smile. From the handwoven Persian carpet she gave me when she got her motorized wheelchair to the YWCA boutique treasures I’ve collected while she was a volunteer, I feel she is always near me. Yet I sorely miss her sharp mind, dry sense of humour, wise words and our 3-hour lunches. One of my last visits with Jeanne was a day full of joy: she got her hair cut, ate smoked salmon & cream cheese on a bagel and had a Zoom call with a friend. I will cherish the many memories we’ve shared over the decades and will be having a special toast on October 3rd.

A few thoughts on Jeanne, one year later by R. Mohan Srivastava
It was a year and a day ago that I had the unexpected good fortune of being able to spend time with Jeanne at Sunnybrook. An opening on her care team allowed me to spend much of the afternoon of October 2nd with her, catching up, talking politics, reminiscing, sharing a few laughs. At the end of the afternoon, I wheeled her back to her room, got her a drink of ginger ale, asked her where she wanted to sit … she chose out in the hallway so that she could watch the world go by. She loved being in the world, with people. Her life made manifest the notion that our purpose here is to be part of the world, to interact with others, to make a difference.

The next morning, I got the news that she had passed away during the night. At the same time that it was sad to think that there would be no next time with Jeanne, I realized that there was grace in that final afternoon, a spontaneous, unmerited gift. No overwrought, sad goodbyes. Just the simple joy of her company. One last time.
As I think of her, as I often do, there are three quotes that say “Jeanne” to me:

"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well." ―Voltaire
Boy, she sure got that right. In ways big and small, she modeled the art of living well. She figured out, long before most of us do, that living well means living in a community and giving of yourself to those who help nurture and sustain you.

"Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." —Simone Weil
Even in our last afternoon together, when no-one could have faulted her for looking inward, she gave to me her full attention, her gaze and slight smile letting me know she was listening and interested. It was one of the first things I noticed about her when I first had the pleasure of being in a meeting that she chaired. Much of her legacy, the changes she wrought in the world, was rooted in the attention she gave to others.

"In a gentle way, you can shake the world." —Gandhi
It’s as if Gandhi had our Jeanne in mind, that one small woman who never doubted either her ability to make the world better or her duty to do so.

Jeanne Rowles was born in Empress, Alberta, grew up in Saskatoon, and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1947. By 1948 following a year-long recovery period from polio, she took a position for two years with the Kingston, Ontario YWCA, leaving that to earn her Masters' Degree in Social Work from the Toronto School of Social Work.  She then returned to an outstanding career with the YWCA – in Toronto for ten years, in Pakistan for three years, in Sudbury for an interim stay, and a four-year assignment with the Tanzanian YWCA. She continued in later years as a faithful volunteer with the YWCA, championing affordable housing for women, women's leadership development, and an commitment to justice for women the world over. 

Her career continued and included seven years as Director of Central Neighbourhood House in Toronto, fourteen years with the Anglican Church of Canada as Director of Women's Concerns  and then as Director of Social Justice Ministries (Aboriginal Relations, Prisons, Housing, and Poverty), as well as numerous contracts after her retirement with the United Church of Canada.  

Jeanne was a member of Trinity St. Paul's United Church for many years where she served in many leadership capacities (Board Chair, Homelessness Action Group, and the Climate Justice Group).

Her other significant accomplishment was with the Older Women's Network of Toronto (OWN) where she served as one of the three Co-Chairs to plan and construct a 140-unit affordable housing co-op for women and children on the Esplanade in Toronto which opened in 1997.  Since 2008 she has lived at Christie Gardens and has made numerous contributions to the community there.

Jeanne is survived by her younger sister, Beth Scott, in British Columbia.

Donations to honour her life can be directed to the Toronto YWCA (www.ywcatoronto.org), Trinity St. Paul's United Church (www.trinitystpauls.ca), and Christie Gardens (www.christiegardens.org). 

Read more about Jeanne:

• Jeanne's life story written by Jeanne Moffat and edited by Jeanne (PDF)
• Tributes from Jeanne's friends
• All Saints Service Tribute to the Trinity-St. Paul's United Church (TSP) congregation by Jeanne Moffat
• Article from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 1965 about her time working in Karachi, Pakistan (PDF)
• Letter from Jeanne Moffat and Lynne Stott to Jeanne's friends
• Announcement by Jim Lewis to the TSP congregation
• Announcement to TSP listserve

Please keep checking this page for updates.

If you would like to write a tribute to Jeanne, or share a memory or photo, please send them to Tracy Kett at tracylkett@gmail.com.

All Saints Service, Trinity St. Paul's United Church, Tribute by Jeanne Moffat, October 31, 2021

We remember the life and love of Jeanne Rowles.

Jeanne moved quietly with a large impact on our lives and the lives of people all over the world.

She taught us how to be advocates for justice and to understand that justice-seeking was the core of our lives as Christians.

Her ready smile welcomed us into her life and she loved nothing more than to be in community with others, listening and learning about anything of interest.

And so it was always in community that she taught us how to lead, not by seeking to be always in the lead, but by listening to the whole community and sharing the leadership with one another to get the best results.  Her life and career are marked by her leadership style—in Canada, Pakistan, and Tanzania.  Her tasks were always carried out with determination to get the best results possible.
Her life was a testimony of how to overcome hard times, both personally and professionally.  Personally I often heard her say, “When I have hard things to do and don’t know what to do, I tell myself, “Just do it.”  And we all are fortunate to have watched her practice that.

She loved us in precious and quiet ways—in her encouragement and her companionship, in her deep listening, in her opening her mind and her heart to all of us.  As Mo Srivastava has said, “As skilled as she was as a leader, a planner and a doer, she was equally talented at sitting still, being in the moment, and allowing silence to punctuate words of reflection.  And in those moments, those gaps between the words…were some much-needed answers.”

She often expressed surprise to me at the love and care that came back to her.

And again in Mo’s words, “Jeanne earned, many times over, the love she got back from the world.|”

We remember Jeanne Rowles with deep love.

(Watch the service)

Letter from Lynne Stott and Jeanne Moffat to Jeanne's friends, October 3, 2021

Dear friends of Jeanne Rowles,

Jeanne died very peacefully this morning in the Palliative Care Unit of Sunnybrook Hospital where she has been for the past 2.5 months.  Her death came unexpectedly and without pain, and we are grateful for that  Lynne Stott, Bob Fugere and I were there with her.

Your friendship and care for her throughout these past months, through your letters, calls, and gifts for her have enabled her days to pass knowing how much she was loved by many and honoured by all of you for her remarkable life of giving her heart and soul to the healing of the world and of this planet.  You will not be surprised to know that right through the last visit she had yesterday afternoon with two of the wonderful care team who have been accompanying her over this time, she has asked for news about what is happening in the world.  She wanted to discuss issues that have mattered to her throughout her long and productive life.

Lynne Stott and I, as her Powers of Attorney for her Personal Care have been especially appreciative of the care of doctors and nurses at Sunnybrook and of the team who have visited her every day and read your letters and greetings to her  That team included Moira Hutchinson, Jim Lewis, Tracy Kett, Kelly Mokongwa and Mo Srivastava.

All of us feel blessed personally by Jeanne's love and witness and we plan to have a time when together we can all remember her and give our collective thanks for her life so wonderfully lived.  We will be in touch again.

With heartfelt gratitude for your love and care  for Jeanne,

Jeanne Moffat and Lynne Stott

Announcement by Jim Lewis to Trinity-St. Paul's congregation, October 3, 2021

Good morning. 

Earlier this morning, Jeanne Rowles, a long time, active and much-loved member and friend of our Trinity St Paul’s faith community, died at Sunnybrook Hospital.

Jeanne had not been well over the summer.  Her passing was not unexpected but it was sudden.

More will be said at a later date, but Jeanne was a remarkable woman who made so many contributions to the mission, ministry and life of our congregation. 

As well, Jeanne had a national presence working with the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada. 

And an international presence working with the YWCA in Pakistan and Tanzania. 

Jeanne for the last number of years lived at Christie Gardens where she had a wide circle of friends.  She was active and engaged in discussion on justice seeking work. 

Jeanne had a quiet, informed and focused presence.  She gave leadership in areas such chairing our Church Board, and was active in challenging our congregation to think and act on supportive and affordable housing, especially for women and seniors. 

Jeanne was a close friend and mentor for me especially in the 1990s when I was Chair of the Board.

I learned much from Jeanne and her words of advice and support continue to shape me as I think and work on social justice and faith related issues.

Over the last number of months many of you sent emails, cards and letters to Jeanne.

As a member of her care team, I know she greatly appreciated these messages and words of support.  It was a privilege for me and others on the care team to read these to Jeanne.  They gave us a real sense of the deep friendships Jeanne had.

Today and this week I ask you to pray for and remember Jeanne, her sister Beth and her many friends.

We give thanks for the life and work of Jeanne Rowles.

Announcement sent to TSP's listserve, October 3, 2021

Our dear friend, colleague, and mentor, Jeanne Rowles, died peacefully in her 95th year on Sunday morning after 2.5 months in the Palliative Care Unit of Sunnybrook Hospital.  We have been blessed to have her among us in this congregation for a long number of years, providing leadership in numerous ways, enabling us all to feel part of the work of justice here.  Throughout her entire life she has been a passionate advocate for justice, be it adequate housing for all, supporting women's rights and leadership, environmental justice, and becoming an affirming congregation. For the last 15 years she has offered her abilities to the life and work of Christie Gardens where she lived.  

She leaves one sister, Beth Scott in British Columbia, as well as numerous friends here and around the world wherever she worked.  There will be a time in the coming weeks for us to celebrate her remarkable life and love. Notice of that will be given later. 

Please keep checking this page for updates. If you would like to write a tribute or share a memory or photo of Jeanne, please send them to Tracy Kett at tracylkett@gmail.com.