Memorable Manitobans: Gabriel Richard Rowe (1897-1968)

Gabriel Richard Rowe Click to enlarge

Educator.

Born at Coleman, Prince Edward Island on 23 February 1897, son of Richard and Clara Rowe, he graduated from Prince Edward Island College (1915) and Charlottetown Normal School. He was Principal of Emerald High School and Alberton High School for about two years each respectively and obtained further training as a mechanical engineering at Boston, Massachusetts (1918-1919). From 1919-1922, he was Principal of Viscount Consolidated School at Viscount, Saskatchewan before he came to Manitoba.

In 1922, he came to Brandon and served for 40 years as Principal of Alexandra School (1922-1929), David Livingstone School (1930-1941, 1942-1948), and Earl Oxford School (1941-1942, 1948-1964). He served a term as President of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (1948-1949). He received three academic degrees resulting from study in evenings and vacations at the University of Minnesota and Harvard University.

On 11 July 1932, he married Kathleen Joan “Kay” Moreland at Winnipeg. Active in Brandon community affairs, he was President of the Brandon Community Chest, Chairman of the Brandon 75th anniversary celebrations (1957), President of the Brandon General Hospital Board, Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Measures Organization, a member of the Town Planning Advisory Board, Chairman of the Brandon Industrial Commission, President of the Brandon Citizens Committee for the Performing Arts, and President of the Brandon Allied Arts Council. A life-long Liberal, he was a candidate in the 1949 provincial general election and served as the President of the Manitoba Liberal Association in 1950.

He died at Brandon on 7 January 1968 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“School principal,,” Brandon Daily Sun, 12 September 1922, page 1.

“Engagements,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 June 1932, page 19.

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

The History of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society by Haraldur Victor Vidal, MA thesis, University of Manitoba, 1958.

“G. R. Rowe dies here,” Brandon Sun, 8 January 1968, page 1.

Brandon Cemetery transcriptions.

We thank Sheila Ingle, Mireille Theriault (Manitoba Teachers’ Society), and Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 June 2021

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Send corrections and additions to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban  | Firsts | Acknowledgements Support the MHS