UNA FRANCES BOWLES

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UNA FRANCES BOWLES November 29, 1913 - May 13, 2016 Una Frances Bowles died at home, surrounded by family, a dear friend, and much love at 102. From the family home in Souris, with a wood stove and summer kitchen, a town and home she always remembered and loved, to travels around the world. From summers in a rustic, no electricity, Victoria Beach cottage with wash tubs, and buckets and a wagon to get well water, to Buckingham Palace, having Prince Charles and Princess Anne for a sleep-over when she was Chatelaine of Government House, 1965 to 1970, during Richard's term as Lt. Governor of Manitoba. In her Chatelaine roll, she hosted the Queen to dinner, and entertained world leaders, Canadian Prime Ministers and thousands of Manitobans. From Mrs. Musgrove's Girls Choir, wildly happy days at the University of Manitoba, tennis, boating on the Red, dances at the Royal Alex and the Fort Garry Hotels, to her flowers and garden at the Union Point Manitoba farm, and her own Facebook account at 100. From working in the early 1930s at a Winnipeg law firm, where Dad was a student and tipped her off to the job opening, to working at a law firm in London, England, to canvassing for the United Way, volunteering at a church sponsored inner city mission, to writing history books (with a literary agent and world renown publisher,) enjoying the University Women's Club, where she served as President, the Symphony, the Opera and years of aquasizes where in snow storms she arrived in her 4-wheel drive Explorer when instructors, 60 years her junior, couldn't make it. These things and doings made her 102 years on planet earth a long, wonderful, productive life. But, these things and doings were ornaments on the lower branches. The lights and sparkles higher up were family. Beginning with parents T.L. and Leila Arnett (nee Grant), and her siblings, Tom, Doris and Sheldon, to her own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with cousins, nieces, nephews, on both the Arnett and Bowles side, and Richard, (the top star) her life tree sparkled with family. Building sandcastles, helping with homework, cleaning pet cages, picnics, walks in the rain, family trips by car, train and ocean liner, birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, dinners, Halloween costumes, handmade Valentines for everyone in the class, and strict keeper of the right path in everything with the firm announcement, "THIS is YOUR mother speaking!" It was family that made her smile, and kept her going. To the end she kept track of roughly 40 family, most on a daily basis. Her life wasn't perfect. Richard died in 1988, she had aggressive breast cancer more than 60 years ago, a White Cane at 95, loss of son-in-law, Martin Nevile, from pancreatic cancer, a teenage nephew, Linc Newman, died tragically, the deaths of soul mate friends, Betty Watson (Tanner), Elaine Cook, and sister Doris, plus two St. Bernard dogs Dad thought would be wonderful pets, (she was always wary of dogs) all required guts, grit and determination. But get through, and rise up she did. One of her's and Dad's greatest gifts to their children was an example of what a married couple and family could, and should be. Her children can't remember a harsh word, or even an askance glance between the two of them. Until the week before she died (she was emphatic she would die, not pass' and if her obituary said otherwise she'd be back to haunt) she was out to get her hair done, to her son's for Sunday dinner, and doing the crossword with son Bill most every night with a glass of white wine to make the evening perfect. She lived a good life right to her last days when she had a stroke and died peacefully. Frances was mother of Sheldon (Penny,) Kingsley (Diane), Maryann Nevile (Dan Bachor), and Bill (Hollie); grandmother of: 1) Kingsley Bowles (Susan Goldie), "G.G." to their children, Jacqueline and Rosemary, 2) Patti Backman (Kristjan), "G.G." to Abby and Charlie, 3) Aaron Hull (Tara), "G.G." to Bronwyn and Emalyn, 4) Noelle Bowles (Jonathan Elcombe), 5) Joanna Bowles (Patrik Schuermann), "G.G.B." to Alicia, Pascal, Cedric, 6) Michelle Bowles, 7) Ben Nevile (Danielle De Jong), "G.G." to Casper, 8) Jill Nevile (Lee McDermott), "G.G." to Lola, 9) Roey Nevile (Kirk van den Boogaard), 10) Victoria Bowles (Fergal Ingoldsby), 11) David Bowles. She was cared for and loved by an amazing group of women who were a second family to her. In respect of their privacy we salute by first names only: Leonor, Stacy, Stella, Isabel, Lilian, Frieda, Fatima, plus a wonderful Realcare Inc. team including, Krista, Valerie, and Lea, and eye care nurses directed by doctors, John Bracken, Lisa Gould, and Richard Leight. Keeping her going and feisty were Doctors Wayne VanHorne, Wayne Poon, Jack Rusen, and Jack Toole. We thank you all. Funeral will be Tuesday, July 5, 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrews River Heights United Church, Oak at Kingsway. Rev. Cathy Kinsman, will be joined by Frances' granddaughter, Rev. Noelle Bowles. Family friend, Rev. Milly Malavsky will hold a family service with burial of her ashes beside Richard's at Union Point, Manitoba. Donations in her memory may be made to the United Way Frances Bowles Fund or the Hon. Richard Bowles Library Fund at the University of Manitoba. Until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of His hand. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 02, 2016