Winona (Nonie) Berniece Rowe, 78

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Winona Berniece Rowe nee Vester of Rainy River Ontario formerly of Thunder Bay on Sunday May the 6th 2012. “Nonie” as she preferred to be called was born September 12th 1933 in McDiarmid Ontario to Ralph and Thelma Vester. The family moved to Port Arthur in 1941.

Nonie married Vic Waller and together started raising three daughters until Vic’s tragic death. She met and married Marvin who had three children of his own. Together they had three more children, and in 2009 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Living on Algonquin Avenue and then moving to the farm out in Finn mark until the kids started high school. In 1965 they moved from the country to Van Horne St. and lived there until Marvin’s retirement in 1987. Between 1965 and 1972 24 foster children had also grown up at the Van Horne St house. Pulling up stakes in 1987 they sold the house and traveled south to Texas in the winter months until 2008. Summers were spent in Fort Frances and finally in Rainy River.
In her youth Nonie played softball with the Strathcona Dixies and Memory Diamond. In 1965 Marvin and Nonie starting taking square dance lessons from Dick Armstrong and continued dancing for 35 years. Square dance festivals took them from one end of the country to the other, as well as the United States. One memorable occasion had them dancing on parliament hill. Out door activities were a great part of their lives. Camping and fishing at many of the lakes in Northwestern Ontario in the summer, snowmobiling with the Sno-Surfers club near One Island Lake in the winter.

Nonie is survived by her husband of 53 years Marvin, daughters Lindy Rowe (Stu Duncan), Wendy Camilleri (Pat), son in law Lance Grandberg son Lyle (Heather), daughters Gail Waller, Carol Wright (Dan), Leslie McNair (Brian Munro), son Doug (Carol) and daughter Karen Newman (Terry). Grand children David Wright (Claudine), Jeremy Wupori (Yvonne), Lisa Springman (Shane), Adam Hartikainen (Janine), Luke Clifford (Susan), Tania Clifford, Jon Wright (Cheri), Michael Rowe, Douglas Rowe Jr., Timothy Rowe (Heather), Alanna Newman (Robert Sokolewsky), Steven Rowe, Sarah Faragalli (Domenic), Ryan Newman ( Stacey), Darrel Rowe, and Justin Newman. Great grand children Staisha, Chantell, Cory, Christopher, Ashley, Matthew, Dallas, Madison, Kylene, Ashton, Nikolaus, Alexzander, Dominik, Ethan, Hailey, Avan and Sibley. Also surviving is sister Helen Kitching (Billy), brother in law Brian Shaw, sister in law Ruth Vester as well as nieces and nephews.

Nonie was predeceased by her parents Thelma and Ralph Vester, her first husband Vic Waller, daughter Sandy Grandberg, brothers Donald, Russell, Norman, sisters Mary, Janice Shaw, Margaret Mayer, and brother in law Albert Mayer Cremation has taken place and a family graveside service is planned at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Cancer Care Manitoba – 675 McDermot Ave. ROOM ON1160, Winnipeg MB. R3E 0V9 or www.cancercare.mb.ca