In Loving Memory …beloved daughter of Ethel Mulholland, niece of Mary Sanders, sister of Douglas, Mother of Ronald, Peter and Mark (Farida), Grandmother of Ali and Lydia, Kousha, Parisa, Tom and Luke.

She lived her life to the fullest and left us after a valiant battle she fought with courage and tenacity to the very end. She liked to be remember as someone who tried her very best. Our Mom always would champion the underdog, including those less fortunate with her kindness and generosity, and always by trying her very best.

Roma has three wishes on her life…to have a family, to travel the world, and to fly an airplane. She did it all and so much more.
She was very proud of her Irish heritage with her great great great Grandfather “Henry Mulholland” coming to Canada from Ireland for a better life as a result of the potato famine. He brought his wife and 9 children to start a better life. After a couple of years he travelled back to Ireland to bring his brother and sisters and unfortunately struck an iceberg on route back to his native land in the Atlantic. Without his zest for a better life none of us would be here today.

We had family gatherings every once in a while and they were spectacular. In 1981, some 450 relatives from some 20 countries coming from all over came to celebrate the first settlers in 1806. This was the 175th anniversary of we referred to as the “Mulholland Clan”. It was a standout event which rolled the clock back to the times we first the first settlers came. At the Stewart farmstead there were wagon rides with horses , a rotisserie barbeque with a side of beef which was half the cow, corn in a steel pot so large it cooked dozens of cobs over the fire pit. We all mingled and despite many of us not knowing each other was in a word “magic” and we all felt privileged to be part of it.

To fast forward Roma loved the farm and so much so became a farmarette at 16. As a “tomboy” she loved the farm so much so as a child walking some 3 miles to her aunt and uncles farm where she learned to ride horses, and her uncle would bought her a horse named “Mel” which drew her to the rest of the animals she loved with her dear younger brother Doug. This love of animals carried forward to her son Peter’s dog named “Taffy” who was taught mathematics and English!. She even smoked a pipe!

Coming from an all male family she was the first and only member go to university and graduate. Being a member of the university woman’s club for decades she brought in friends and was darn good player. This passion came from her Grandmother Ida who taught her from the age of 4. I would drop in to see her when she belonged to the “Swansea” bridge club where she was written up almost weekly for winning that week.

She was part of the university book club for decades also and read thousands of books through out. She received great joy with this and loved to insert herself into the storyline . It would be nothing for her to read a book a day! Also she loved working as a volunteer at the McMichael Art Gallery as a volunteer loving the splendid natural environment it held. Also with all Canadian artists she expressed such pride of being a Canadian.

Her volunteer work was important to her and believed everyone should do it.

You are now with Peter, Ethel, May and Ida and Benjamin.
May you rest always in peace.

Donations may go to the “Alzheimers Society of Canada”.