Ross Bay Cemetery

Good morning! We are exploring the Ross Bay Cemetery this morning. One of my favourite artists is apparently buried here... Emily Carr! She is a renowned Canadian artist... let me find some pics...

This is one of her most famous paintings. She was beary much a West Coast artist... and like most artists, unappreciated while she was alive.

I like what she has to say...

And she loved dogs!!! Who can argue with that??

Soooo... let's find her grave. It's not this one, but I'm sure it must be something grand...

Oh boy...

We might be here a while...

None of these either...

Do you think we'll ever find it?

It's like looking for a needle in a haystack! We know the general location but... still...

Nope... not this one either.

Eh??? Carr???

This is it!!! Emily loved nature and I see a lot of people have been laying bits of nature at her gravestone.

I think she and I would get along well... cause I'm a little bear who loves nature AND writing!

Hmmm... she could probably teach a few people something about reverence for nature...

 Whew, found it!! It sure doesn't stand out though, does it?

 Now what? More exploring? Cool!!

 Oooh... there's a hummingbird at a little hut in the middle of the cemetery. Beary pretty.

 And... a map of the place AND a brochure with famous tombstones! Sigh...

Let's see...

Well... Billy Barker is buried here. He was a gold prospector who was part of the Cariboo Gold Rush. The old gold rush town of Barkerville is named after him. He died penniless in Victoria but someone thought it would be nice to put up a monument for him.

 This one isn't in the brochure but... it's a grave guarded by a phalanx of rough-looking stuffies...

And here's the military section...

There's still a wreath up...

And a nice note from some school children.

This is what all the Commonwealth cemeteries in Europe look like too... with the big sword/cross. The size depends on who many soldiers are buried there.

This grave is for Sergeant Harry J. Roebrock of the Canadian Infantry. He died 11 December 1919, after the war ended. I wonder why?

A bit of research later... Sergeant Harry Joseph Roebrock was born 14 March, 1884, in Beek, Limburg, Holland. His parents were Jean Louis Hubert and Maria Eliza Hubertina Roebrock. He enlisted with the Canadian Infantry on 22 September, 1914 in Valcartier, Québec. He ended up serving with the Alberta Regiment and the 31st Battalion. On 22 November, 1919, he was admitted to provincial hospital suffering from acute mania and eventually died on the 11 December, 1919. He was 35 years old and left his wife Katie widowed and living in Victoria, B.C. Poor guy. To survive battle in World War One and then die of what was likely post-traumatic stress from the war. So sad.

Rest in Peace.