John Theodore ROWEN

ROWEN, GRIFFIN, NEWCOMB, ACKELSON, FISHER, DOWNS, TROEGER, RAMAEKER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/5/2010 at 16:31:48

November 5, 2010
Fort Dodge Messenger, Iowa

February 1, 1929 -- November 3, 2010

EAGLE GROVE - John Theodore Rowen was born February 1, 1929, in Clarion, Iowa, the son of James and Margery (Griffin) Rowen. He was raised and educated in Clarion - and won the 123 lb. State Wrestling Championship in 1947 - graduating from Clarion High School "Class of 1948". John then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. On July 25, 1954, John was united in marriage with Mary Newcomb in Des Moines. The couple made their home on the family farm south of Eagle Grove, where they still resided. The couple raised two families - having three children and adopting two of their grandchildren in 1984.

John worked for the Republican Central Committee during the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. He then began his long history working for the State of Iowa - as a State Grain Elevator Inspector, with the State Liquor Commission and the Department of Transportation. John also worked a number of years of the Eagle Grove Police Department - serving as Police Chief for a time and in his "semi-retirement" as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Fort Dodge. John enjoyed buying and selling of antiques, fishing, visiting with people and traveling - he and Mary had recently traveled to Alaska to visit his sister. John was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Clarion.

John passed away on Wednesday, November 3, 2010, at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, at the age of 81 years. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Mary Rowen (age 6) and Elizabeth Fisher. Survivors include his wife Mary Rowen of Eagle Grove; sons, David Rowen and wife Linda Ackelson of Norwalk, Jon Rowen and wife Jan of Eagle Grove and Frank Rowen of Indianapolis, IN; daughters, Becky Ramaeker and husband Tom of Knoxville and Anne Downs and husband Rob of West Des Moines; six grandchildren: James, Jack, Michael, Jessica, Katie and Chris; five great-grandchildren and a sister, Catherine Troeger of Soldatna, AK.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 6, 2010, 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Eagle Grove with Pastor Mike Agnew officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove. Visitation is Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Foust Funeral Home in Eagle Grove and an hour before service time at the church. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.