VILHELMINE MARIE (ROSSANDER) BARTON

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VILHELMINE MARIE (ROSSANDER) BARTON April 21, 1905 - October 13, 1999 Ninety-four years ago, Marie Barton was born in Huntofte, Denmark. At age six her parents immigrated to Canada. They raised their eight children on a homestead near Kerrobert, SK. With single minded purpose, Marie pursued her education and at age 18 began her teaching career. At a country school dance to welcome her as the new teacher, she met Leonard Barton, a farmer. They married on Christmas Eve in 1928 after the schools Christmas concert. Overcoming the barriers that existed for married women, she taught four more years to help buy a farm in Davidson, SK. Drought driven they trekked to another farm at Togo, SK and then to the frontier near Camperville, MB. Following Leonards death in 1943, Marie returned to teaching to provide for her four children, Arthur, Joy and the twins, Lois and Ray. Once again, she set her sights on further education through correspondence and summer schools. In 1955, she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees. Marie taught for 23 years in Manitoba, first in country schools in the Dauphin area and then in Winnipeg, where she managed the first visually impaired classroom. Her retirement in 1970 allowed her to devote herself to writing. She had many articles published in newspapers and magazines. Her varied experiences from driving oxen at six to using a computer at 80, are chronicled in her autobiographies: In Quest of Baked Pigeons, We Dont Need No Substitute and a Slice of Life. Marie encouraged others to write and organized the Senior Citizens Writing Group. Recipient of many awards, she holds the distinction of being the most decorated writer in the history of the non-fiction contest of the Canadian Authors Association (Manitoba Branch). In turn she has endorsed the ongoing Marie Barton Award for Excellence in Short Fiction to be presented to future authors. Marie was also a naturalist, a photographer, and a world wide traveller. Her life, including two years of disability by stroke, is characterized by great strength, determination and resourcefulness. She will be lovingly remembered by her family, Joy and Cam Finlay of Victoria; Arthur and Lorraine Barton of Winnipeg; Ray and Anne Barton of Ottawa; Lois and Brent Rheault of Thunder Bay; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Special memories and tributes will be shared at a memorial service form Green Acres Funeral Chapel, Hwy. No. 1 East at Navin Rd., on Saturday, October 16 at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow. In recognition of Maries lifelong love of the prairies, donations in her name may be made to preserve the Tall Grass Prairie at Tolstoi, MB, care of Manitoba Naturalists Society, Prairie Patron Program, 401-63 Albert St., Winnipeg, MB R3B 1G4. GREEN ACRES FUNERAL CHAPEL 222-3241

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 16, 1999