Marie Therese Clarence Rowley

ROWLEY : Marie Therese Clarence. (April 9, 1925 - September 19, 2019). Marie was born in Mariapolis, Manitoba, daughter of Wilfred and Delina Choquette. She died at her residence at The Heritage in West Kelowna, British Columbia at the age of 94.

Marie was the 9th of 10 children. In her early years she worked in Winnipeg at Dairy White, Canada Packers and Buffalo Cap. She married Doug Rowley in 1943 in Winnipeg while he was a welder with the RCAF. After the war, they moved to Glenora, Manitoba. After the births of their first five children, they moved to Nipigon, Ontario in 1952, where their two youngest children were born. In Nipigon, Marie worked for a few years as housekeeper and sometimes manager of Vacationland Motel. Once all her children were in school, she worked at the Nipigon Plywood Mill for a number of years. Because of Doug's declining health and the harsh winters in Nipigon, Doug and Marie moved to Westbank, BC in 1974. Marie was a strong and energetic woman who enjoyed taking on home improvements her husband could no longer do, such as carpentry, masonry and cement laying. In Westbank, she also worked at QuikLok for 5 years. After Doug's death in 1982, Marie moved back to Nipigon to care for grandchildren and also worked as custodian at the Human Resources Building and Post Office in the evenings. She moved back to Westbank in 1989.

Doug and Marie both loved dancing and after Marie retired she went to seniors dances all over the Okanagan. She met Leo Robinson at one of these dances and they married in 2000. She was also a life-long avid gardener and loved to cook and bake. She would gather with friends and family as often as possible for card games and big dinners.

Marie was predeceased by both her parents; both husbands; siblings Beatrice Lapine, Adrien Choquette, Adrienne Porter, Gerard Choquette, Thaddie (Ted) Choquette, Edmond Choquette, Jeanne Harju and Rita Rowley; sons-in-law David Zack and Bud Edwards and grandson Cory Winterman. She is survived by her brother Romeo Choquette, her children Fern Gilliatt and her husband Brian, Fay Edwards, Larry Rowley and his wife Debbie, Linda Wiebe and her husband Howard, Gail Rowley, Glen Rowley and Barbara Winterman and her husband Michael as well as 16 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.

At Marie's request there will be no memorial service. Instead, a celebration of her life will take place in spring 2020. Date and location will be announced at a future time.

Condelences may be sent to the family by visiting www.firstmemorialfuneralkelowna.com. Arrangements entrusted with First Memorial Funeral Services, Kelowna. 250-762-2299