ROSE, Edgar "Mark"

In Loving Memory of Edgar “Mark” Rose April 22, 1966Nov. 16,2021

One year ago family and friends were deeply saddened to have to say goodbye to Mark after a long, courageous battle with cancer. Mark was born in Souris to the late Edgar and Sharon (Connolly) Rose.

He grew up in East Baltic with his sisters Marion, Marie, Molly and brother Matthew (whom he lovingly called Spiderman). From a young age, Mark showed determination and persistence, ingenuity, caring and compassion - traits that followed him throughout his life. He spent much of his early years with his father hunting, trapping and fishing. Wanting his own shotgun at age five, his father required he first be able to shoot the eye out of a squirrel. By age 6, Mark had earned that gun. Mark ran his own trap lines in the woods before and after school, selling pelts of beaver, fox and muskrat to Hudson's Bay Co. and also competing in pelt skinning competitions in his teenage years. He often said that no one hated school as much as he did. At age 13, he left school to attend what he called "The School of North Lake" where he followed his passion to be a fisherman. Throughout his teenage years he worked as a fisherman's cork. In the off season he always kept busy - loading potato trucks, baling hay, plowing snow and operating heavy equipment for Waldron Dingwell.

In 1992 Mark met the love of his life, Sheila Labrech (nee Macclure). They married on August 3, 1993 and settled in Souris West. He embraced Sheila's daughter, Deanna, as his own. Mark & Sheila shared 28 wonderful years together and were blessed with raising their four children - Deanna, Carolyn, Tyler and Jenny. He was so proud of them - loved watching them grow and succeed in school, helping them excel in sports and teaching them all to fish. He was a dad who was truly there for them - whatever was going on in their lives, supporting them and cheering them on, helping them in any way he could. He always said he had the best wife ever and 4 great children. In April 2021, he was over- the-moon happy to become a Grampie to Callum.

Mark's greatest thrill in life was fishing! At age 19, he bought a fleet at North Lake and became a well respected lobster fisherman with many close fishing friends at the Lake and Islandwide. Mark had lots of helpers and lots of laughs on the boat, but always said there was no one like David Ching and Terry Clinton, who were with him for many years. Although Deanna never fished a season with Mark, she loved being on the boat and helping Dad. When the 3 younger kids got old enough they joined Mark on the boat. He was so proud - "Never had anyone that could pick those traps as fast as Carolyn!" and "Jenny can outwork any man on a boat!" and "I would never trade Tyler for anyone!" Mark was so pleased to see Tyler follow in his footsteps, buying his own fleet in 2020. Mark's last lobster season he fished every day with excruciating bone pain - and ended the season with his highest landings ever.

Anyone who knew Mark can attest that his love for tuna fishing was unmatched by all! 36 years of fishing at North Lake and in Canso gave him his greatest joy. His friends in Canso were like his "second family". He wanted so much to make a trip to see them last fall, but became too sick to travel the distance. He caught his first tuna at age 12 with his dad - weighing 1054 lbs and proud to say he fought it all by himself. Each one he caught after marrying Sheila was followed by a phone call or a text - "Got one for ya, hun! :)". Mark had a lot of tuna buddies and tuna stories from over the years, and there were many laughs recounting them with his family and fishing friends. He often joked that he never worked a day in his life because he loved his job so much. His last day tuna fishing was October 13, 2021 - landing 2 tuna.

Mark coached hockey and managed the Eastern Maniacs hockey team from 20162018. He was a member of the PEIFA Tuna Advisory Board, Board of Directors for Basin Head Fisheries Museum and North Lake Fishermen’s Co-op. He was also actively involved with the 2003/04 Herring Dispute and one of 12 fishermen who began the PEI Sport Fishing Association in the 1990s. He was the first PEI fisherman to land a tuna using a kite, the first to fish using squids and the first in developing and installing a hydraulic roof rack on the boat.

Wherever Mark went he met up with an old friend or made a new one. He loved socializing, friends stopping in for a chat, family get-togethers, going to the coffee shop (Right Bite and Bluefin), Hockey, the Rink, the Edmonton Oilers, a good laugh, dinner and a movie, drives with Sheila on Sunday afternoons, watching his fishing shows on TV… and birthday cake. He made the world a better place.

A burial service for Mark’s cremated remains was held on August 28, 2022 followed by a last sail to his favourite lobster grounds with all of his family and closest friends. Mark was laid to rest in South Lake Christian Church Cemetery, where he will overlook the ocean forever.

He taught us how to laugh and love That memories are precious That life goes by too fast And that only God is perfect.

To appreciate what you got Help others when you can Never forget where you came from And that family and good friends are forever.

Always loved ~never forgotten~ forever missed Sheila, Deanna, Carolyn, Dustin & Callum, Tyler and Jenny

Card of Thanks

We, the family of the late Mark Rose, would like to express a heartfelt thanks to everyone for their love, support and many acts of kindness shown to Mark during his illness, and to all of us at the time of his passing and throughout the last year. A very special thanks to all who helped Sheila, Tyler and Jenny in preparing for and during our first lobster season without Mark.

A huge thank you to Dr. Angie Maclaren and staff on Units 2 & 8 and the Cancer Treatment Centre at QEH for their care leading up to his diagnosis and during his treatment; to EMS Palliative Care Team for their services when called upon; to Joanne Chisholm and the girls from Home Care for their care, respect and compassion during daily check ins; and finally to Dr. Terry Magennis who cared for Mark not only as a patient, but as a friend. The kindness and compassion shown to Mark during his illness by all health care professionals will be remembered forever.

A special thank you to Nat Lamoureux of Dingwell Funeral Home for his care, professionalism and for going above and beyond to help us during a difficult time.

Thank you to everyone who attended the wakes and funeral, especially those who travelled from out of province. We extend gratitude to all who participated in the funeral service, led by brother-in-law Pastor Pete Dearborn. Thank you to Mark’s friends who provided music, readings and poems - Pam Grant and Sasha Bruce, Kent Poole and Jean Carter, Roy Coffin and Sheila Eastman. Thank you to Pastor Alec Scott who conducted the beautiful burial service.

Sheila, Deanna, Carolyn, Dustin & Callum, Tyler and Jenny