Rowenhorst, Fern(Mrs. Herman) 1898-1982

ROWENHORST, SMITH

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-Volunteer
Date: 7/1/2014 at 21:50:07

Source: Sioux Center News (12-29-1982)

Born: September 6, 1898
Died: December 20, 1982

Mrs. Fern Smith Rowenhorst, 84, of Orange City died Monday in a Sioux City Hospital.

Services were at 10 A.M. Thursday in the American Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. LeRoy Nattress and Peter Theume officiated. Burial was at West Lawn Cemetery. Family visitation was Wednesday in Van Etten-Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Mrs. Rowenhorst, the former Miss Fern Smith, was born September 6, 1898, in Pullman, Nebraska, and graduated from high school in Grand Junction, Colorado. She received a B.M. Degree from Central College in Pella in 1919 and did graduate work in music and art at the University of Colorado. She studied choral music in several Midwestern universities.

For three years she taught music in Colorado and in 1928 came to Northwestern College in Orange City. From 1930 to 1953 she was director of Northwestern College A Cappella Choir. In 1953 she established the art department at Northwestern and taught art and music until retiring in 1962.

She married Herman Rowenhorst June 1, 1961, in Orange City. He died December 18, 1967.

In 1970, Northwestern College honored Mrs. Rowenhorst by naming the new dormitory, Fern Smith Hall.

She was an active member of the Womens Guild. She was a member of Delta Cappa Gama Sorority and the Women’s Club.

Survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Arie (Leona) Vander Stoep and Mrs. Clarice Flikkema, both of Orange City, a half brother, John Porter of Las Vegas, Nevada, and a half sister, Mrs. Corene Ryan of Howell, Michigan.