Rowland Radford

1929 - 2021

RADFORD, Rowland Andrew

1929-2021

Rowland Radford, an Atlanta native and seventh generation Georgian, died of natural causes at home on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. He had been in declining health in recent years and was 92.

He was the only child of Rowland Andrew Radford and Martha Phillips Radford. He attended Morningside Elementary School and graduated from the Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy) in 1947.

Attending the University of Georgia, Rowland developed a love of Athens, was a longtime football season ticket holder and a diehard Georgia fan. He was president of Phi Delta Theta and graduated with a degree in business in 1951.

Following graduation, Rowland served in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. When he returned, he met Letitia "Tish" House, a young teacher from Beaufort, North Carolina at Colonial Homes. They raised their three children in Atlanta.

Rowland, in his own words, was "loyal to family, friends, country and God." He was sincerely interested in other people and never stopped making friends. He enjoyed traveling, reading, history, tennis and UGA sports.

Rowland worked at Robinson Humphrey for 35 years before he retired. He remained constantly busy, engaging in other activities, primarily attending continuing education classes at Emory University. He and a handful of friends continuously signed up for decades of courses – in history, religion, and literature. He enjoyed watching televised cooking shows on Saturdays after a game of tennis and was known to be extraordinarily organized and neat.

Rowland was the board chair at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, served on the board of Canterbury Court, and was a Junior and Senior Warden at the Cathedral of St. Philip.

He was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, the Gridiron Secret Society, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

He was a member of the Piedmont Driving Club, the Capital City Club, the Nine O' Clocks and the Piedmont Literary Society lunch group.

Rowland is survived by Letitia House Radford, his wife of 65 years and their three children: Rowland Andrew "Andy" Radford III, Letitia Ann Radford, and Beth Radford Anthony (Matt), all of Atlanta. He will be missed by his grandchildren – Isabel Radford Murray, Margaret Radford; Matthew, Wesley, Mason and Hendricks Anthony – and two great-granddaughters: Bella and Jana Murray.

There will be a service honoring Rowland at 11 AM, Tuesday, December 14 at the Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, N.W. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30305 or the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, One Press Place, Athens, GA 30602.