Obituary of Margarete Dorothea Rowe
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Margarete Dorothea Rowe (Lundberg)
Margarete was born September 19th, 1928 in Gnadenberg, Schlesien, Germany. In her youth they moved to nearby Bunzlau, where she met her lifelong best friend Gitta. Margarete was class president, a great handball player, and had a history scholarship waiting for her, but war interfered. On February 10th 1945, Margarete fled with her mother and younger brother Helmut, leaving everything behind.
Margarete lived, worked, and studied in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and France before coming to Canada in 1960. Her brother Helmut was already here, and together they explored Ontario and also drove to Mexico in his Cadillac to visit their brother Eberhard. She inspired the spirit of adventure in all her children.
She and Michael met in Toronto, married and started a family. They moved a few times, ending up in Waterloo with their 3 young girls, and a few years later a son too. Margarete lived for her family, and was a devoted stay-at-home mom, working part-time jobs around the family schedule when things were tight. She was a talented artist, and her paintings grace family homes in Germany, England, and Canada.
Margarete was deeply loved and will be dearly missed by Michael, her devoted husband of nearly 62 years. Family was their world and together they raised four children - Susan Furey (Mike), Christine Holman (Neil), Katharine Chamberlain (Jeff L), and William Rowe (Kathleen).
She was a loving Grandma to Jonathan, Ben, Alison (Ben), Britton, Paige, Rachel, Bianca, Sienna, and Navena. Also lovingly remembered by nieces and nephew Sibylle, Gunhild, Ute, Britta, Karin, and Hans and their families, and Michael’s siblings in England, who welcomed her and loved her like a sister – Peggy, Pat, Richard, and Jennifer and their families.
Predeceased by her parents Johannes and Elisabeth Lundberg (Schulz), and her brothers Werner, Eberhard, and Helmut.
Margarete was kind and caring, never saying a mean word about anyone. She took care of her mother while also raising her own family. She and Michael incorporated German, English, and Canadian customs and traditions in our daily lives and special family traditions. She worked hard and was good at everything she tried – from baking to gardening to sewing. She was a very resourceful woman, never wasting anything.
Margarete was lovingly cared for at Columbia Forest LTC for nearly six years, including through the covid pandemic. We are eternally grateful to the amazing, caring staff. Margarete passed away peacefully on October 26th, 2024 at Columbia Forest, after being surrounded by family for her last few days.
Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Tuesday, November 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The funeral service will take place in the chapel of the funeral home at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception in the Fireside Reception Room.
A private family interment will be held at Parkview Cemetery.
Donations to KidsAbility or a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated and may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S. Waterloo at www.erbgood.com
“Unsere Mutti ist doch die Beste!”
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