Mae E. Rolando

May 4, 1928 - November 26, 2021

Mae Elizabeth Rolando (née Joseph) died at Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario on November 26, 2021 at the age of 93 due to complications from hip fractures. Mrs. Rolando was born on May 4, 1928 in Iroquois Falls, Ontario, the eldest of Robert and Jean (Thomas) Joseph’s 6 children. She attended the Ontario School for the Deaf in Belleville, Ontario until 1944, returning to the family farm in Matheson, Ontario during summer breaks. 

Mrs. Rolando married Dominico Rolando (deceased) in 1947. She lived in New Liskeard, Ontario until 1979 where she worked as a tailor and seamstress. She was active in the Deaf community in Ontario, participating in many Deaf gatherings and sports events. She was a member of the International Catholic Deaf Association (Chapter -61) since 1961 and volunteered as its treasurer for many years.  She was also was a member of and a volunteer with the Toronto Association for the Deaf. She lived her last few years at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf in Toronto before transferring to long term care at the Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf in Barrie on Nov 14, 2021. 

She was a devoted mother to daughter Jean Rolando (Kevin O’Reilly) and grandmother to Éilís O’Reilly. She is survived by brother Gordon Joseph, sister Norma Monahan, and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her brothers Robert and George and sister Edna.  A memorial is planned in late spring 2022 at the New Liskeard Catholic Cemetery.  Memorial donations may be made to her favourite charities: Canadian Red Cross Society or the Ontario SPCA.