116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Lela Gwen Rowland
Lela Gwen Rowland
Cedar Rapids
On Feb. 13, 2026, Lela Gwen Rowland, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother went to be with Jesus. She was smart, funny, loyal, a great friend to so many, and never met anyone she couldn't strike up a conversation with. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was fiercely defensive of them. I'm sure we will spend years telling stories of how she would let everyone know not to mess with her family.
Lela was born in Des Moines, IA. but spent most of her growing up years in Iowa Falls, IA. After graduating from high school she attended Ellsworth College and taught high school English until meeting and marrying her husband of 45 years, Lewis C. Rowland. In 1970 they packed up 5 kids, a dog with 5 puppies, a rabbit and a cat to move to Cedar Rapids where she lived the rest of her life. When her kids were all in school, she began working for the Cedar Rapids school district and spent most of those years as the media secretary at Washington High School. She became such a loyal fan of their athletic teams that she was awarded a lifetime pass to all their events.
She is survived by her children Terry Burke (Allen), David Rowland, Andrea Rowland, Paul Rowland, and Tim Rowland; her grandchildren Matt Burke, Melissa Counts (Jason), Dan Rowland, Aaron Rowland(Naomi) Brandon Rowland, Nikki Rowland, Blake Rowland (Angela), Amber Baskin (Matt), Zach Rowland, Jackson Ties, Gabrielle Rowland, Kennedy Rowland, and Simon Counts; and her great-grandchildren Imanuel Rowland, Eli Baskin, Ariyah Rose, Rohyn Wheeler, Kayden Rowland, Karsen Rowland, and Iyla Mae Rowland.
She was preceded in death by her parents Oren Graves and Hazel Wilder Graves, her firstborn daughter Toni Lee Rowland and her beloved brother Leland Graves.
It was our mom's wishes that there be no funeral. Her instructions were for her family to gather at her favorite spot in Petosi, WI, and just spend time together rejoicing in the knowledge that she is home with her Savior.
We would like to thank the staff in the SNICU and Palliative care units and the medical staff at the University of Iowa hospital for their kind and compassionate care. God Bless what you do.
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