1911 - Jan. 4, 2004
Edward Fraser (Ted) Rowland passed away peacefully in his home on the shore of Decker Lake, January 4, 2004 at the age of 92 years. Ted left this world while reading the Vancouver Sun, as was his daily habit.
Ted is survived by his twin sons, Douglas (Sonja) of Decker lake, Gordon (Anita) of Vernon and son Gary of Winnipeg. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; Kim (Arnie) Larson, Rose Lake; Brenda (Calvin) Read, Sheraton; Kurt (Arlynne) Rowland, Smithers; Laureen (Peter) Sommery, Kelowna; Ted (Deb) Rowland, Kamloops; Brett (Jill) Rowland, Ellicott City, Maryland; and Michelle (Richard) Smith, Delta. Ted also had 20 great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents, Spencer and Elizabeth Rowland, his much loved wife of 67 years, Queenie, and his sister Edna Mould.
Ted was born in Victoria, B.C. in 1911 and moved to Ailport Lake (Rose Lake) at the age of ten with his mother and sister Edna. He was one of the ten students when the school in Rose Lake was first opened in 1923. Interesting to note that his beloved Queenie was also in that class. In the early years he was able to keep the wolf from the door by trapping, tie hacking, and mining in the Barkerville area.
He enlisted in the army in 1940 and served overseas in England, Italy and Sicily with the Saskatchewan Light Infantry, Canadian Scots, and the P.L. Fusiliers. He was wounded in Sicily in 1944 and was discharged in June 1945 after serving his country for 1762 days.
Ted was elected to the B.C. Legislature shortly after returning home from the war and served as an MLA for four years.
His contributions to the community were many; assisting with the building of the Decker Lake Community Hall and the Burns Lake Curling Rink. He was also involved in the building of the Four Mile Ski Hill. He was manager of a ski team that was quite successful at the Canadian Ski Championships at Whistler Mountain in 1951.
His love of sports and the outdoors was always evident. He played soccer, baseball, curled, and he took up golfing at the age of 56. He continued playing through his 90th year. He always encouraged his grandchildren in their golf game and enjoyed the many games he played with them. When he could no longer walk the course, at age 91 he used a cart and went the course with two of his great granchildren to help them with their game. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and hiking, and at age 63, he hiked alone from Ootsa Lake to Anaheim over the Bella Coola Trail.
Ted was an avid reader of Canadian history and also spent many hours listening to music. He had a great passion for thoroughbred horse racing and he and Queenie made many trips to Exhibition Park in Vancouver to watch the races.
Ted emceed many events in the Lakes District. The ability to tell good stories, a mind that remembered details, and a flair for writing them, has been a great legacy left to family and friends. His writings include the documentation of the Rowland and Mould family history. His stories, titled “Memories and Reflections”, and the book written by his nephew Wayne Mould, “Uncle Ted Remembers”, chronicled events of the area and local people.
Family and friends will sadly miss Ted, but as he said in his last Christmas letter, “I have had a wonderful life with few regrets. I’m proud of my family and love them dearly.”
“Rather than mourn the absence of the flame, let us celebrate how brightly it burned.”