Enna Vinal Gillis Rowe passed away quietly on Dec. 12, 2006, at Providence Everett Medical Center after receiving the most loving care.
She was born May 21, 1915, on an island on the coast of Maine which bore her name. The daughter of Edith McIntosh and Llewellyn Vinal.
She was the last Vinal ever to graduate from Vinalhaven High School. She attended Normal School in Gorham, Maine and worked summers at the Inn on North Haven where she met Ronald Alexander Gillis. She was married but her plans for family were dashed by WWII. Ronald enlisted and during the war Enna worked as a telephone operator. After the war her dream of motherhood was finally realized. She had two children, Ronald Alexander Gillis Jr., and Margaret Lindsey Gillis (McClure). She was widowed in 1957 and owned and operated a chicken farm in Hope, Maine while she raised her children. She was an active member of the Hope Grange, Hope Elementary PTA and the Extension organization. She worked tirelessly and championed controversial causes like polio vaccination for school children. She was a volunteer at Togus Veterans Hospital and regularly went to cheer the recovering veterans. At that time she was a member of the Universalist Church.
In 1965 when her son died she moved her daughter to Camden, Maine to make a fresh start. She worked at Achorns Deptartment Store until she retired and married Dr. Stanley Rowe of Gorham. She was an active member of the United Church of Christ in Gorham. After being widowed she moved to Arlington, Wash., to be near her daughter and grandchildren, Thomas McClure and Jamie McClure. After living in her own home for 90 years she finally conceded to move into Cascade Valley Senior living which she discovered she enjoyed immensely.
She is also preceded in death by her brother, Calvin Burton Vinal; and sister Gertrude Vinal Trefrey.
Memorial Services will be held at 2 p.m., Jan. 14, 2007, at Cascade Valley Senior Living.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Village Community Services The Music Program in Arlington. Arrangements under the direction of Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home, Marysville.