Grace Robarts Ober
Grace Robarts Ober (February 19, 1869 - April 30, 1938)[1] was an early Canadian Bahá’í who assisted with the establishment of the Bahá’í community of Canada.
Biography[edit]
Ober was born in Thorold, Ontario, in 1869. Her father was Thomas Tempest Robarts, an Anglican canon, and she had a sister, Ella, and three brothers, Henry, Earnest, and Aldham who was the father of John Robarts.[1][2] In her youth Ober studied at the Bishop Strachan School in Toronto then the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, in the United States. She became a teacher after completing her education teaching arts at a Canadian college and co-founding the school Camp Lanier in Eliot, Maine, in the United States.[2]
Ober became a Bahá’í in 1906,[3] and in 1912 she accompanied ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His tour of the United States and Canada traveling ahead of His entourage to secure accommodation in cities He visited and serving as hostess to visitors during His residence in each city. While the entourage was in New York City ‘Abdu’l-Bahá suggested that she marry fellow Bahá’í Harlan Ober and after they both agreed to the marriage ‘Abdu’l-Bahá conducted the wedding ceremony on July 17, 1912, which was followed by a legal ceremony conducted by Howard Colby Ives.[4]
In 1920 the Ober's went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land,[4] and they undertook a teaching tour of Europe on their return journey teaching across Germany and visiting England where they met Shoghi Effendi who was studying at Oxford University.[5]
In 1938 Robarts passed away in Wilmette, Illinois.[1] Shoghi Effendi conveyed the following message to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada after her passing:
"(I am) Profoundly grieved (over the) great loss sustained (in the) teaching field through (the) passing (of the) distinguished worker, (our) beloved Grace Ober. Advise (the) delegates to pay worthy tribute (to) her glowing spirit (and) eminent services. (I am) joining them (in) fervent prayers.[5]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Grace Robarts Ober at findagrave.com
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1942). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 8 (1938-1940), Pg(s) 657. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 801. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1942). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 8 (1938-1940), Pg(s) 658. View as PDF.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1942). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 8 (1938-1940), Pg(s) 660. View as PDF.
