Bad News

To the Class of 1955: We are sorry to inform you that our classmate, John Rowden, died on the evening of Tuesday, June 5, 2001, he was near Poplar Bluff, MO.  Services will be held Sunday, June 10th at 2 PM, in the First Baptist Church in CUSHING, OK.  The Davis Funeral Home in CUSHING is handling the arrangements and the service will be conducted by John's cousin, Rev. Charles Rowden.  A eulogy will be given by John's sister-in-law, Mrs. Ron (Nell) Rowden.

John had been in CUSHING, for the Class reunion, over Memorial Day.  He was on a camping trip near Van Buren, MO with his wife, Jean, and his daughter, Valerie Rowden, and her friend Steve Estes.  They had been canoeing a river there and had come in, so that the girls could go back to the campsite, and John and Steve could go one more time in the canoe.  Apparently they had just gotten under way when John said he felt very tired and needed to go back.   When they got to shore he told Steve the he was going to have to help him get out of the canoe.  John laid down on the ground and told Steve, "Now, son, this is not your fault." and died of a massive heart attack.

John was cremated in Springfield, MO and he had always said that he wanted to
come back to CUSHING, when he died.  He is survived by his Mother, Mrs. Joe Rowden; his wife, Jean, of the home; two daughters, Valerie Rowden and Darla Miley; a son, John Thomas Rowden, Jr., and wife Carol; a step daughter, Audrey Eppie; his brother and his wife, Ron and Nell Rowden; one grandson and three granddaughters.  

We are including the address of his family, in case you want to send a message to them.  (John's mother, Johnaphiene (Pansey), suffers from some mental confusion and is having a difficult time trying to accept the meaning of all that has happened, therefore we are not including her address, but Ron and Nell and her grandchildren will convey the messages, as they feel she can handle them.  Such a sad time for all of us.

Mrs. John (Jean) Rowden                     Valerie Rowden
50 Red Fox Dr.                                    1116 SW 99th Terrace
Savanna, GA  31405                            Oklahoma City, OK  73139      

Mr.and Mrs. J.T. Rowden, Jr.                 Darla Miley
1533 Sewanee Dr.                                 6824 Blue Spruce Court
West Columbia, SC  29169                    Oklahoma City, OK  73162

Mrs.and Mrs. Ron Rowden
461 N. Palm
Blythe, CA 92225

If anyone can attend we will be sitting as a CHS Class '55 Group.  The CHS Class of '55 Foundation has sent flowers.  Any flowers that are sent will go to John's Mother's after the service.

We are trying to contact all of our class members and if anyone will call the ones that we do not have email's.  

Your Secretary - Delores (Delap) Mc Pherson and Your Communications chairman
- Pat (Moore) Harmon.    Love you all!!!!!!