Member Carol

BRAMPTON-- HEART LAKE ROTARY CLUB

SUMMARIES OF KEY-NOTE SPEAKERS’ PRESENTATIONS –Summarized by Glenn Harewood.

Her Roots:  Carol told us that her ancestral background was German (on my father's side). Her grandparents were living in Newtonville during the 2nd WW and even though they had met and married in Canada before the 1st WW, they were still persecuted for being German. (their barn was set on fire and the water trough poisoned).

Her Upbringing: Carol was born in Oshawa, Ontario.  At birth, she had to have a blood transfusion because she was turning blue. She survived.  Carol has/had a sister who was adopted 3 years before she was born. They lived on a small farm, east of Toronto, on Hwy. #2. Her grandmother (Mom's mother) lived with  her family. After Carol’s birth, her mother had a set of twins. However, one of the twin passed away at birth, and the other baby died at 10 months.

Her Schooling: Carol was schooled in a one-room school house, where she finished grades One, Two and Three in one and a half years.  

Her mother’s passing, and sibling separation: : When Carol was  8 years old, and her sister, 11 years old, their  mother died. Carol was then sent to live with her grandparents in Newtonville,  which was just a couple of miles down the road from Oshawa. Her sister was sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Orono, Ontario. After completing Grade 7, Carol  went to live with her Dad who had re-married, and lived in In 1960 Carol got married, etc...(this is okay).  However, in 1967 we moved to Bramalea.  My insurance career started with a local Manulife agent in 1978, where I remained, etc........(this is okay).  Just one small correction:  Carol described starting her insurance business "by-the-seat-of-her-pants".

The next two paragraphs are okay.  Under accomplishments, I had mentioned one more and that was "being a Mom, raising two boys".

You can likely do a better job of shortening this up a little.  As I had moved back and forth quite a bit, etc. while growing up, I am sure you found it hard to follow my path.  I really had to stop and think when I was originally putting 'my life' down on paper.

Thanks for your time in putting this together.

Montreal.  Her sister did not go to Montreal, but stayed in Ontario. After three (3) years in Montreal, Carol was sent back to live with her grandparents in Newtonville.

Her graduation from High School and Work: At 16 years old in 1957, Carol graduated from High School, and went to work at Matthews Conveyor Company in Port Hope, Ontario.

Her Marriage, move to Bramalea, and Career: In 1960 Carol god married. She and her husband Bob, had two children – boys. She moved to Bramalea in 1967,  and started her career with a local  Manulife insurance agent in 1978, where she  remained until she opened, and ran her own General Insurance business between 1981 and 2001. She retired in 2005. Carol described learning her business “by the seat-of-her-pants.”

In response to questions posed, Carol described her (1) best childhood memories as: receiving a Christmas ball-point pen, (2) highlights of the Summer as a Tom-boy on the farm, and her (3) accomplishments, as being a Mom and raising her two boys;  obtaining her General Insurance license, as well as her license to ride a motorcycle.

For the future, Carol would like most to see (a) less hate, and more tolerance in our world; (b) a cleaner environment ;(c) seeing her grand children grow and develop. She loves being a Rotarian, and describes herself as caring, conscientious, friendly, organized, but a procrastinator.