Engla Katarina Neilson (Nee Roos)
From the paper
March 27, 1912 to May 13, 2004.She passed away peacefully, joining her husband, Bill, who predeceased her. She is survived by her daughter, Bernice (Walter) Wright, her grandson, Dayne and granddaughter, Tanya and will also be fondly missed and remembered by her bingo pals from Point Roberts, who knew her as Anne. No services will be held at Engla's request and the family gratefully declines flowers. A special thank you to good friends Lynn Whitmore, George and Marge Tarlier and many other faithful friends, to many to name. Also thanks to the staff at Eagle Ridge Hospital and to Doctor Eddy for their kind care and support.
The above picture was taken in June of 2003 at 91.
She is much younger in this one.
Engla on the left with her sister Helga
She was born March 27, 1912 in Vancouver B.C. She grew up at Okeover arm near Powell River B.C.
Engla worked for BC Telephone.
She married Rudolf Alexander Roland (aka Spike) in 1932 in Vancouver B.C. This is the two of them on their 25th wedding anniversary in 1957.
Rudolf died November 11, 1974 in Quesnel B. C. at age 65.
Engla and Spike had
a daughter Bernice (aka Tootsie) Wright (Nee Roland) born September 30, 1938
They had a son York Rudolph
The following appeared on page 12 of the Vancouver Sun paper on January 8, 1947.
Local Kiddies Phone Grandma in Sweden.
Left to right York, Bernice, Engla and Spike.
"Gott Nytt Ar Kaira. Farmor"__"Happy New Year, dear grandma."
Distinctly; the words of Bernice Roland, eight, and her brother, York, 13, of 2575 Charles, were poured in a trans Atlantic phone call Tuesday to a grandmother in Stockholm, Sweden, whom they had never seen or talked with. Theirs was the first post war telephone call put through from Vancouver to Sweden. "Delta air Bernice:" "This is Bernice talking" the little girl said in clear, patiently rehearsed Swedish. But Grandma, far overseas, probably raised a quizzical eye brow when the English version of "Ill come and see you and dance for you" escaped from the little girl's lips---and brought a cry of "Oh, I forgot" as she handed the receiver to her daddy, Rudolph Roland. "I was so excited, I forgot grandma can't understand." she explained later. The family had waited since Boxing Day for the momentous event. It was then Mr. Roland learned telephone communication with his homeland, Sweden was possible. The service came into effect just two weeks ago. He placed the call to his mother, Mrs Anna Roland in Stockholm, but found circuits in Sweden were tied up until Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Roland children practiced up on Swedish.
Boy's voice from Canada
Madam Anna Roland was the first here in Sweden who had a private conversation
from Canada to Sweden. It came for a little bit ago from his son, who lived in
Vancouver since 1928. For mandates day she got on the radio in Stockholm also
listen to a gramophone recordings of the English club in Vancouver, which his
son over the same time. Here she sits alongside little Inger at the radio
speaker.
Engla married George Fletcher Neilson aka Bill in 1978
They traveled a lot promoting the Gatti and Charles circus.
Bill was born February 24th, 1910 and he died May 15, 1986.