GRACE ROBARTS OBER was the aunt of John Robarts. She was introduced to the Cause by Lua Getzinger and Grace, at once, recognized Baha'u'llah and became a Baha'i in 1906. Grace met Harlon Ober when she was working at Lanier Camp on River Road in Eliot, Maine. He was at Green Acre.

During the time of the visit of Àbdu'l-Bahá, Grace went with Lua to prepare a place for Àbdu'l-Bahá in Chicago and then, after subletting her cottage at Green Acre she made arrangements for His visit to New York City.

It was the wish of Àbdu'l-Bahá that she marry Harlan Ober. Lua came to her to give her this news. She had only met Harlan a few times and was unprepared to contact him so Lua wrote to Harlan - and Harlan, radiant at the thought that he was obeying a suggestion of his beloved Master, took the next train to New York from Boston where he lived. He came at once to see Grace and together they went walking through Central Park where he proposed and Grace, still. dazed.and uncertain, accepted - because it was the will of Àbdu'l-Bahá.

Grace and Harlan were married by Àbdu'l-Bahá at the home He was staying in in New York City. Later that same day they were married again by the laws of New York when Howard Colby Ives performed the legal ceremony.

In 1938 Grace went on an extensive teaching trip through the Southern states. She had been very ill previous to this. The teaching trip ended in time for her to reach Wilmette and attend the Convention in the spring of 1938.

It was a very radiant Convention and the report Grace gave of her teaching trip was one of the high points of it because Grace herself was so radiant and filled with the glory of the great privilege of teaching. She stood there, before the crowded hall in the Bahá'í House of Worship, filled with the great glory that shone from her and, closing her report, she uttered a tremendous clarion call for pioneers and for teachers. Then she walked down to resume her seat amongst the delegates but on her way she paused beside Harlan, who had just been reelected to our National Spiritual Assembly. "I want to congratulate you now" she whispered, "I may not have time later", They smiled at each other with the perfect understanding that had always existed between them. Then Grace slipped into her own seat.

As she sat down her head drooped slightly and those glancing at her assumed she was lost in prayer. But when she made no movement for many moments someone touched her and realized something was wrong. Edris Rice-Wray and Katherine True both moved forward - and Grace was gone - gone through her Open Door - gone on her beautiful journey to the arms of Àbdu'l-Bahá. [Ref: Find a Grave]

Two* Bahá'í women represented the Bahá'í International Community at the first World Conference on Women in Mexico City. It was the first international conference held by the United Nations to focus solely on women's issues and marked a turning point in policy directives. Nine Bahá'ís represented the Bahá'í International Community at the parallel NGO Tribune. Those attending were: Dorothy Nelson*; Jane Faily, Sheila Banání, Edris Rice-Wray, Carmen Burafato, Catherine Mboya, Shirin Fozdar*, Jyoti Munsiff, Elsie Austin and Shomais Afnán.
• The purpose of the Conference was to give shape to a Ten-Year Plan of Action to promote equality between men and women in member nations by stressing better education and increased participation of women in decision-making in order to bring the neglected resources of women into the struggle for development and peace. [CBN No 287 Aug/Sep 1975 p16; Wikipedia; United Nations - Conferences]
• The Bahá'í International Community issued a statement entitled International Women's Year.
• See UN Women.

A Public Campaign was held in Winnipeg.
• on the 23rd: a luncheon conference that included representatives from newspapers and radio stations was hosted by Dr Rice-Wray and Emeric Sala.
• on the 24th: a public meeting was attended by about 400 people.
• on the evening of the 24th: a fireside was held after which five persons declared their interest in becoming Bahá'ís.
• on the 25th: Dr Rice-Wray spoke to about 40 students at the University of Manitoba on the subject "Science and World Order". Subsequently a study group of about 25 students began to meet weekly and a special University Teaching Committee was established with Ross Woodman as chairman.
• on the evening of the 25th: Emeric Sala spoke to about 40 Spanish students and members of the Spanish American Club on the subject "Latin America Tomorrow"

  Due to the participation of Audrey Robarts many prominent people attended some of the events including the wife of the Lieutenant-Governor of the province.

• Radio activity included a series of 42 spot announcements over stations CJOB and CKRC which familiarized the listening public with the name Bahá'í the various principles and advertised the public meeting. Edris Rice-Wray was interviewed by Mrs. Eve Henderson on the Women's Hour program. Emeric Sala was given a five-minute interview on CJOE. [BN No 191 January 1947 p5]