Mabel Emma (Roberts) Gilroy (1915 - 2009)
Mabel Emma Gilroy passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Westford Nursing Home on Friday May 1, 2009. Born in Halifax Dec. 22, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Captain Leo and Mabel Roberts. After the family lost their home in the Halifax Explosion they relocated to Dartmouth’s North End. She was educated in the Dartmouth school system until she completed Grade 11 after which she attended Bloomfield High in Halifax for Grade 12. Mabel received a scholarship to the Nova Scotia Art and Design College and attended Provincial Normal School in Truro where she obtained her provincial teaching certificate in 1935. After two years of teaching Grades Primary to 11 in Glen Margaret’s one room school house she returned to the Dartmouth school system as a teacher. She taught mainly in Victoria and Notting Park Schools until her retirement in 1976 after 35 years of service.
Mabel was a member of the 1st Dartmouth Girl Guides in her teen years and as a young adult lead a company of her own. She continued her involvement in the movement later in her life as a Trefoil Guild member. Mabel was a founding member of both the Dartmouth Senior Citizens Centre and Fairfield Chapter IODE becoming a life member in the latter after 50 years of service. Mabel was an enthusiastic camper being a long time member of the Scotia Scampers group (NHCA). She always enjoyed traveling and in her retirement years took every opportunity to see the world traveling to places as disparate as Europe, Australia, Hawaii, across Canada and into the USA. Mabel was an active member of Emmanuel Anglican Church until its closing in 2004. Additionally, she enjoyed drawing and painting for as long as she could wield a brush.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by a sister Katie Shaw (1952), her husband Donald Gilroy (1970) and her brother Norman Roberts (1979). She is survived by her son Gilbert (Georgia) Gilroy of Summerside, PEI, her daughter Louise (John) Bailey of Sackville, NB, four grandchildren Stuart (Cheryl) Gilroy in Toronto, Anne (Todd) Mckay in Dartmouth, Martin (Cheryl) Gilroy in Toronto and Amber Bailey in Calgary as well as great grandchildren Nicholas, Donavan, Faith, Bridgette and Liam. She is also survived by a nephew Robert (Anne) Shaw. Cremation was carried out at Fairhaven Memorial Gardens and a memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Sackville, NB on May 19th at 2:00 pm. A memorial service and internment of ashes will take place at Dartmouth Memorial Gardens at a later date. The family request that in lieu of flowers donations be made to either the Sackville VON, the Westford Nursing Home or St. Paul’s Anglican Church.