Tommy Rowland Sr. 84, of rural Unionville, Missouri, passed away at the Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, Missouri during the late hours of the night, June 22, 2024, due to injuries following a fall.
Tom Rowland Sr. was born July 18, 1939, in Omaha, Missouri, to Arthur and Mable Rowland; who preceded him in death. He was raised in the Omaha, Missouri, rural area. He graduated from Livonia High School in 1957. He was valedictorian of his eighth-grade class.
Tom has worked numerous jobs such as the coal mine in his younger years, the brick plant in Ottumwa, Iowa. He and his family moved back to Missouri in 1973 and took on farming and working at Missouri Mining. He later ended up working with Martin Marietta, and then Ideal Ready-Mix before retiring.
Tom was an avid reader. He passed on his love of reading to his grandchildren and great grandchildren who enjoyed sitting on his lap for hours enjoying their time together. He loved spending time with his family, especially the little ones. He also had a love of gardening, planting both vegetables and flowers.
He married Janet J. (Crawford), Rowland on July 18, 1959, who survives. To this union were born 3 children Tommy (Bud and Brenda) Rowland, Jr., Bill and Debra J. (Rowland), Smith, and Bill and Kathy L. (Rowland) Behrendt. He was blessed with 8 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, family, and friends. He especially had a place in his heart for all children. And all the children held him dear.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ted Rowland, and sister Linda (Rowland) Klingsmith, and brother-in-law Floyd Klingsmith, a small nephew Floyd W. Klingsmith, niece Cindy (Klingsmith) Blankenship, his father and mother-in-law, John and Josephine Crawford and his sister-in-laws, Rosella Robison and Rose Crawford, a son-in-law Bill Smith, and a great-granddaughter Macy Dee Rowland.
He was a special man with a really kind heart who loved all. He will be missed by all those who knew him.
Honorary pallbearers are Steven Rowland, WesLee Rowland, Bradley Rowland, Tyler Behrendt, and Jerad Smith.
Celebration of Life will be held at the Hartford Baptist Church June 29,2024 at 10:00 a.m. Dinner will be served at the church following service. The family asks in lieu of flowers that monetary donations go to the Putnam County Library in Unionville MO.
