Former Commissioner of the Canadian Radio and Television Commission Rosalie Gower died on October 13th at the age of 82. Gower devoted her life to improving the lives of others less fortunate. Raised in Field, BC, Rosalie moved on to graduate from Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan, eventually becoming a Registered Nurse. In 1955, she married architect Terry Gower and together they spent 3 years in San Francisco before returning to BC and settling in Vernon. Rosalie spent the 1960s balancing her nursing career with raising her family and working on- and off-stage with the Powerhouse theatre.
In the early 1970s she started a career in government, first as a municipal councilor and then as part-time commissioner for the CRTC, still based in Vernon. In 1980 she moved to Ottawa, having been appointed a full-time CRTC commissioner, where she participated in important decisions on Canadian content on radio and television and authored a critical paper on sex role stereotyping in the media.
Retiring from the government in 1992, she built an organic farm on the hills above Vernon and experimented with market gardening before turning her attention to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she became well known for her charity work. She played an important role in the planning and fundraising for Alma—a home for local low-income seniors—and she worked tirelessly for the SPA, devoted to the protection of street animals.
In 2024, Rosalie moved to Nelson and immediately immersed herself in local organizations such as the SPCA, Hospital Auxiliary and the United Church despite an ongoing battle with breast cancer. Rosalie was a talented singer and actor, a tireless proponent of women’s rights, an animal lover and an avid gardener. An articulate, passionate and creative force, her love and enthusiasm was felt by all who knew her.
Rosalie Gower is survived by her four children, Andrea and Tony of Nelson, BC, John of Courtenay, BC, and Terence of New York, NY as well as her four grandchildren.