Florence Merna Rowe

Merna Rowe, 89, of Winterset, Iowa, died Friday, July 16, 2004, at the Madison County Health Care System in Winterset. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 1987, her daughter, Shirley Burk in 2002, two brothers, Harold and Roland ‘Doc’, and one sister, Leola Ripplinger. Merna was born March 26, 1915 in Orient, Iowa, the daughter of Otis and Lucy (Alley) Bolger. She attended high school in Zion and graduated from Creston Junior College. She taught country school, first in Union County, then in Madison County for a total of 7 years, followed by 25 years of teaching grade school at Macksburg. Merna married Rollin ‘Buck’ Rowe on June 6, 1936. She was a member of the Macksburg United Methodist Church and Women’s Relief Core J. D. Craven #322 of Macksburg. Merna loved sewing, quilting and reading. She is survived by her son, Bruce Rowe and his wife, Freda of Glendale, Arizona; 5 grandchildren, Christy Cannon of New Virginia, Iowa, Marty Taylor of Des Moines, Iowa, Kelley Hagebusch of Wentworth, Missouri, Denni Fleury of Goodyear, Arizona, and Corri Wright of Glendale, Arizona; 12 great-grandchildren and 2 great great-grandchildren. Visitation: 12 noon to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, where the family will be present to receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. July 20, 2004 at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset Service: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday July 21, 2004 at Macksburg United Methodist Church in Macksburg Memorial: Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at the Macksburg United Methodist Church in Macksburg, where Pastor Kevin Smith will officiate. Visitation will be from 12 noon to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset where the family will be present to receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Burial will be in the Moon Cemetery, Madison County, Iowa immediately following funeral services. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Macksburg United Methodist Church.