Robbie Mears & her husband Bill Mears were our dinner guests in Honiara in July 1974. At the time, although Andy & I greatly enjoyed their company, we had no idea of the interesting history of this amazing couple. This information became available at a much later date & is included to recognise their contribution. The following extract is from http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10655516
Mabel 'Robbie' Mears, 95, passed away Thursday, March 17, 2005.
She was born on September 20, 1909 inToronto ,
Canada Florida
After graduation from the Army School of Nursing atWalter Reed Hospital , Washington
She served at Strotsenberg andSternberg
Army Hospitals
in Luzon , Philippines
She left the Army Nurse Corp in March, 1939 to marry George E.C. "Bill" Mears, a British subject, who came to thePhilippines
The Mears with four other expatriates were held by the Japanese as POWs until the Japanese required the services of Bill Mears to reopen a sawmill operation for lumber production to repair bridges.
In 1944, the Mears escaped toAustralia Australia Manila Manila
was to escort and repatriate interned Navy nurses on their return to the United States
Robbie and Bill were reunited at the end of WWII and she remained in the US Army Nurse Corps until 1946.
The Mears founded the Nasipit Lumber Company, Inc. inManila
They lived in Malate Manila, Philippines. Upon Bill's death the late 80's, Robbie joined her family inFort
Pierce
Robbie received the bronze star for heroism, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre ribbon with 2 stars, the Philippine Liberation ribbon with one star, and the WWII Victory Medal.
She was one of a group of nurses who were an advance medical group, for which, despite air raids and small arms fire, provided medical care for approximately 3,700 American and Allied civilians suffering from malnutrition and other maladies resulting from long internment.
Robbie was an active member ofFirst United Methodist
Church , life member of the Pink Ladies
and Senior Friends at Lawnwood
Regional Medical
Center
She was godmother to thirty children and leaves many friends behind. She is preceded in death by her husband, George E.C. Mears, her sisters, Marian Mattson, Ollie Haberlandt, Lillian High, and Margaret Bartlett.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews and their children who loved her dearly.
Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington
Mabel 'Robbie' Mears, 95, passed away Thursday, March 17, 2005.
She was born on September 20, 1909 in
After graduation from the Army School of Nursing at
She served at Strotsenberg and
She left the Army Nurse Corp in March, 1939 to marry George E.C. "Bill" Mears, a British subject, who came to the
The Mears with four other expatriates were held by the Japanese as POWs until the Japanese required the services of Bill Mears to reopen a sawmill operation for lumber production to repair bridges.
In 1944, the Mears escaped to
Robbie and Bill were reunited at the end of WWII and she remained in the US Army Nurse Corps until 1946.
The Mears founded the Nasipit Lumber Company, Inc. in
They lived in Malate Manila, Philippines. Upon Bill's death the late 80's, Robbie joined her family in
Robbie received the bronze star for heroism, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre ribbon with 2 stars, the Philippine Liberation ribbon with one star, and the WWII Victory Medal.
She was one of a group of nurses who were an advance medical group, for which, despite air raids and small arms fire, provided medical care for approximately 3,700 American and Allied civilians suffering from malnutrition and other maladies resulting from long internment.
Robbie was an active member of
She was godmother to thirty children and leaves many friends behind. She is preceded in death by her husband, George E.C. Mears, her sisters, Marian Mattson, Ollie Haberlandt, Lillian High, and Margaret Bartlett.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews and their children who loved her dearly.
Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington
