Born in Peterborough,
Ontario, Sandy Rowe of the
Jubilee Brass cornet section
was the eldest of five
children. Sandy’s dad was in
the military and left home
for World War two when she
was six months old and
returned when she was three.
Sandy was raised in
Cambellford, Ontario and
introduced her embouchure to
the cornet when she was only
seven. That band played only
hymn tunes so she had to
wait until music camps at
Roblin Lake to be introduced
to selections and marches.
Since the home corps band
was made up of little kids
she dubbed them “The Mighty
Mites Band”. This band of
‘kids’ faithfully stood on
open air every Saturday
night.
At sixteen years of age
Sandy was forbidden to
attend the Army but when she
entered nursing school in
Sarnia in 1962 she ‘came
home’ joining the band and
the songsters. She completed
her Corps Cadet classes that
she had missed under the
leadership of Mrs. Rene
Page.
Upon graduation she moved to
Toronto beginning her
nursing career at Humber
Memorial Hospital in
paediatrics. In Toronto she
sought out an Army Corps and
found that Fairbanks allowed
girls in the band.
Sandy married and moved to
Waterloo working at Sunbeam
Home for handicapped
children. She also became
involved in the band and
songsters in Kitchener. Her
work in Newborn Nursery
began in the Kitchener
Waterloo hospital.
After the birth of Erin, her
first born, she didn’t work
outside the home for a
number of years which
enabled her to practice her
love for newborns on her own
treasures. Erin, Sean and
Lisa were recipients of that
love and devotion. She is
now ‘Nanna’ to Shaunessy and
Kieran and step ‘Nanna’ to
Kylie and Hayden
Sandy returned to work in
the Neonatal field and
retired after 19 years due
to major changes which
occurred in the nursing
profession. She did miss the
babies and the satisfaction
derived from helping those
with physical challenges. It
was a joy to see them
improve and go home. She was
also able to demonstrate her
expertise as she helped
first time moms building
their confidence in the care
of their babies. She claims
it was a privilege to work
with a group of nurses who
blended as a team. Years
later they are still friends.
Since retiring Sandy now
spends her winters in St.
Petersburg, Florida and has
become very involved in the
local Corps. She couldn’t
sit back and let the ‘older’
ones do all the work so she
has immersed herself in
Band, Songsters and
Christmas Kettle work. This
past year she played Flugel
Horn with the SAROA band
getting involved in some of
their events and finding it
so inspirational.
Sandy testifies that she
wasn’t walking in God’s will
for a number of years but
she always knew He was there
drawing her back into the
fold. She claims that the
freedom that comes from
accepting God’s forgiveness
and being able to let go of
the guilt has given her a
second chance at living the
life she was supposed to
have lived.
Sandy finds her involvement
in Jubilee Brass so
uplifting and enjoys the
fellowship with others who
inspire by Christian example.
She admits she doesn’t enjoy
the vocal practice as much
as the instrumental, however,
she has developed and
appreciation for the vocal
by listening to the words
which are so devotional. She
takes advantage of such
inspirational listening
while driving those miles to
the sunny south as she
escapes winter’s icy blast
here in the north. |
