Time For Memory

Rev. Harry T. Rowe, 89, of Milton, WV. Passed away Saturday, July 26, 2007, at Pleasant Valley Care Home, Culloden, WV. Born in Alderson, West Virginia, the oldest son of Harry B. and Josephine Thurmond Rowe.(both are deceased) His father was a banker, a trustee of the Alderson Junior College and Academy and later of Alderson-Broaddus College, and President of the West Virginia Baptist Convention in 1960. The little town of Thurmond, WV., was named for his great grandfather, Captain William Dabney Thurmond. Ocupation: Retired Minister associated with the American Baptist Churches in the USA, and the West Virginia Baptist Convention.. He was a member and attended the Alderson Junior College and Academy completing the grades and early years of High School there. After graduating from High School, he drove to Oregon by himself, in a 1930 Model A Ford, when he was just past his 17th birthday, to be with his Uncle Phil Thurmond who preceded him in death. He lived at the mouth of the Rogue River, right on the Pacific Ocean ,where he worked for a small gold refining company, and he enjoyed hunting and fishing for salmon. He returned to West Virginia in April 1936. He entered college in Charleston in the fall of 1936 and graduated from Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston), Magna Cum Laude, in 1941. He felt called to the ministry when he was active in youth work at the Baptist Temple in Charleston, and went on the staff of the church as Youth Director from 1939 –1941. He then attended Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania graduating in 1944 with a Master of Divinity Degree. He was ordained in August, 1944, by the Baptist Temple in the Kanawha Valley Association. He did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania for one year, and from 1945 – 1951 was Chaplain and an Assistant Professor at the Pennsylvania Military College in Chester, Pennsylvania. He was called up from the reserves in the Korean War and served as an Army Chaplain for three years, two of them in Germany. Upon his discharge from the Army, he became Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Grafton, serving in that position for 27 years. He then served for four years as Director of Church Relations at Alderson-Broaddus College and visited every association in the state several times and was in more than three hundred of the West Virginia Baptist Churches. After his retirement he and his wife, Maggie, moved to Milton, West Virginia, and in so-called retirement he has served as Interim Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, and the North Hills Baptist Church, in Charleston. The Barboursville Baptist Church, The Baptist Temple, The Beverly Hills Baptist Church, and The Twentieth Street Baptist Church in Huntington and The Winfield Baptist Church. While he was in Grafton he served as Chairman of the Red Cross and of the Salvation Army, and on the Taylor County Library Board, and was President of the Rotary Club. He served various positions in the West Virginia Baptist Convention, including being on the Executive Board and the Personnel Committee. He also served on the Nominating Committee of the American Baptist Churches in the USA. He is survived by his wife, Mary Magdalene Hotsinpiller Gough Rowe. His first wife is deceased, and Mrs. Rowe’s former husband is deceased. He was preceded in death by one step son, Lynn A. Gough, In addition to his wife, he is survived by Mrs. Carol Rowe Newlon (Joseph) and Mrs. Rebecca Gough Huff and one sister, Mrs. Hannah Schmutz of California. He was also survived by three grandsons, two granddaughters; one great grandson; and a great granddaughter Funeral: 2:00 P.M. Sunday, July 29, 2007, at the Barboursville Baptist Church. Officiating: Dr. David Carrico and the Rev. Paul Meadows. Burial: Monday, July 30, 2007, at 11:00 AM at the West Virginia National Cemetery, Grafton West Virginia. Visitation: Saturday, July 28, 2007, from 6-9pm at Henson Mortuary, Barboursville and 1 - 2 P.M. at Barboursville Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Rowe Family Scholarship Fund at Alderson-Broaddus-College, Phillipi, WV. Henson Mortuary is in charge of arrangements Condolences may be sent to the family at, www.timeformemory.com/henson