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Dr. Harold Thomas Rowland
Dr. Harold Thomas Rowland, 84, died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, at WK Bossier Health Center in Bossier City, La., while returning from a trip to Florida.
A memorial service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Paris. Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of cremation arrangements.
He was born Nov. 15, 1924, in Macon, Ga., to George Thomas and Pearl Katherine Rowland. The family later moved to Miami, Fla., where he attended school, graduating from Miami Edison High School. He was active in Boy Scouts during school.
He joined the United States Navy in 1942, eventually becoming a gunner’s mate. He served on the U.S.S. Swanson, the U.S.S. Barton and the U.S.S. Baddox during World War II, in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He participated in D-Day and was on board one of the ships accompanying the U.S.S. Missouri at the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay that ended the war. While in the Navy, he married Charlotte Nadine Smith, also of Miami, on July 14, 1944. They were married for nearly 65 years until her death on May 30, 2009.
After the war, he attended Drury College (now Drury University) in Springfield, Mo., where he studied Chemistry to prepare for attending Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. After graduating and completing his internship, he opened a private medical practice in Miami, Fla., on July 1, 1954.
He practiced medicine in Miami, Fla.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tenn.; Kendall, Fla.; Marathon, Fla.; and the Harry J.W. Belvin Health Clinic in Hugo, Okla. He retired while living in Hugo, and continued working part time until he and Charlotte moved to Paris in 1996.
He relaxed with a variety of hobbies including fishing, boating, sailing, hunting, gardening, building model train layouts and woodworking. He also enjoyed restoring antiques, particularly old talking machines, and listening to early pop recordings. He attended First Christian Church where he was active in the men’s group. He also volunteered regularly at the Paris Public Library.
He is survived by five children, Tom Rowland of Tallahassee, Fla., Charles Rowland and wife, Kelley, of Floral City, Fla., Larry Rowland and wife, Linda, of Fort Collins, Colo., Paul (Marty) Rowland and wife, Dyer, of Houston and Peggy Smith-Rowland and husband, Edward, of Ellicott City, Md. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Nathan Rowland, Ryan Rowland, Shawn Rowland, Haileigh Rowland, Amber Rowland, Russell Rowland, Rose Smith-Rowland, Audrey Smith-Rowland, Ben Smith-Rowland; and one great-grandson, Sean Mandigo.
Donations may be made to the Paris Public Library where Dr. Rowland was an active volunteer.
Online condolences to his family may be made by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.
Published November 4, 2009
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