Sharon Rowe

Sharon Barlow Rowe of Des Moines died at home on July 7, 2016 following a brief illness. She spent her final days as she spent her life: surrounded by family and friends. Sharon had a lifelong interest in foreign culture, international travel, and the promotion of cultural exchange and understanding, which guided both her personal and professional life. She also had a deep and steadfast love for her family and friends, who will miss her profoundly. Sharon was born in Waterloo, Iowa on August 21, 1942 to James and Maxine Barlow. After graduating from Urbandale High School in 1960 she studied French and Spanish at the University of Northern Iowa, graduating in 1964. Later that year she married Gordon Rowe, a native Iowan with a similar sense of adventure and interest in seeing the world. After spending a year teaching in Iowa, Sharon and Gordon began a new life chapter in Southern California, where Sharon taught French and Spanish. They then moved to Tunisia for two years in the early 1970s where they served as Peace Corps volunteers with their young daughter, Julie. They then returned to Iowa to raise a family in Des Moines, adding their son Matt to the mix in 1977. Sharon worked for 20 years at Youth for Understanding, a student exchange organization. Over the years, Sharon worked with scores of international students, was a host mother for three of them, and spent many hours volunteering with organizations such as Friendship Force, Living History Farms, Immanuel United Methodist Church and, most recently, Saint Vincent DePaul and the Senior College of Greater Des Moines. She was also fortunate to travel to Japan, Korea, China, Mexico and throughout Europe during her time with YFU. She had a particular fondness for Paris, sparking a collection of Eiffel Towers to which her family and friends enjoyed contributing. Family was always Sharon’s first priority. She was a devoted mother to Julie and Matt, and a loving grandmother to her grandchildren, Janice, Phillip, and Abby, as well as a constant support to her “German son” Erik Hageleit, one of the family’s exchange students. When her children moved away from Iowa to start families in other places, Sharon spent countless hours finding thrift store bargains to delight her children and grandchildren; and Sharon and Gordon traveled the U.S. and Europe to visit with them, usually with a box of “treasures,” as she often called her finds, in tow to share. Sharon also enjoyed the company of many friends, and kept in touch with friends from her high school and college days, her time in California and in the Peace Corps, her work at YFU, and with the community of friends she and Gordon made in Des Moines at church and through their international and other interests. During the final year of her life, Sharon struggled with pancreatic cancer. Sharon’s last wish was to see her entire family together a final time. This wish was granted with the arrival of her son Matt, daughter-in-law Liz Baldwin, and granddaughter Janice from Arizona; her daughter Julie, son-in-law Robert Fisher-Rowe, and grandchildren Phillip and Abby from California; her brother Glen from Michigan, and Erik from Munich. Her entire family was present for her final days. At the time of passing, her family played some of her favorite music, including “Moon River,” which was Sharon and Gordon’s song from college days, and the soundtrack from “Mama Mia.” She died peacefully in the loving arms of her children. Sharon lived a full life in the company of a loving family and many, many good friends. She will be missed and long remembered. Services for Sharon Barlow Rowe, who passed away at home on Thursday, July 7 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 11 at Immanuel United Methodist Church at 2900 49th Street in Des Moines. Survivors include her husband of 52 years Gordon Rowe, her children Julie Fisher-Rowe (Robert) and Matthew Rowe (Liz Baldwin), brother Glen Barlow (Kathy Elzey), grandchildren Janice Rowe, and Philip and Abigail Fisher, her German son Erik Hageleit, and her uncle and aunt David and Norma Barlow, as well as multiple cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, James and Maxine Barlow. In lieu of flowers, Sharon requested that donations be made to Mercy Hospice at https://foundation.mercydesmoines.org.