Mary Rowland

MARY J. ROWLAND

Cedar Rapids

Mary J. Rowland, 85, passed away Dec. 28, 2016, at The Woodlands in Cedar Rapids.

She was born to the Rev. Earl Morris and Martha Egeland on Jan. 27, 1931, in Duluth, Minn. She graduated from Calumet, Mich., high school in 1948 and received her B.A. from Northwestern University in 1952. She also received an M.A. from the University of Iowa.

She married John R. Mclaren in December 1959. He passed away in December 1963.

She married Richard D. Rowland on June 30, 1973. Her father officiated.

Mary is survived by her husband; her sister, Sylvia (Ken) Walker of Sun Lake, Ariz.; and her brother, Noel (Karen) Egeland of Silver Spring, Md. Dear to her heart were her nieces, Tova and Noelle Egeland and Gretchen Burr, and nephew, Eric Hiltbrunner, and all of their children.

She taught in the Cedar Rapids school system for many years, and for a year in the American School in Stavanger, Norway.

She was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, charter member of Cedar Rapids Sons of Norway, and was active for many years as a member of the LU chapter of PEO.

She loved jazz, skiing, bowling, architectural tours in the U.S. and international travel. She did not see obstacles in life as walls, but as problems to be solved. She was an ardent supporter of the political candidates of her choice. Her smile would light up a room.

At her request, there will be no public memorial service. Her cremains were placed in the columbarium of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. Entrusted with the arrangements is Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

Please leave a message, tribute or memory to Mary's family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.