Cecil "Joe" Joseph Rowberry

Cecil Joseph Rowberry age 95 passed away November 23, 2024 in South Jordan, Utah. He is now free of the ravages of dementia. He quietly moved into the Spirit world where his complete memory was restored and he was welcomed by his wife Colleen K. Rowberry, his parents Cecil Marion Rowberry and Ellen Johnson-Cook, his brother Don Rowberry and grandson Jeremiah Rowberry.

Joe was born August 11, 1929 in Tooele, Utah. He grew up with his two brothers Don and Duane in Salt Lake City and Provo areas. As, a ten-year-old Joe took work seriously. He sold Saturday Evening Post magazines door-to-door earning 15-cents a week. He sold war bonds and he delivered newspapers He enjoyed putting together model airplanes and he read all of Sherlock Holmes detective books. He earned his Eagle Scout award and a Bronze and a Gold Palm. Joe was born a mature “Old Spirit”. He fully accepted responsibility early. During the year that he was a Junior in High School he lived in Willard, Utah to help his Aunt Lima, while his Uncle Merlyn Cook served a mission. Joe helped gather and clean eggs, feed chickens, clean coops, milk a cow, weed a garden, and he attended school in Brigham City. It was in Willard that Joe began his career in record keeping as he served as the secretary of the Young Men in the ward Mutual organization. He graduated from Provo High School in 1946. He served a 30-month LDS Mission to Finland. He graduated from BYU with his master’s degree in accounting. He was a fellow Blue Key and Alpha Kappa Psi member and a forever BYU fan.

June 19, 1952 Joe married Colleen Kodel in the Salt Lake Temple. They had 9 children. They taught their children to work, they taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and to serve others. They took the family on camping and fishing trips and on annual vacations to the western states, Mexico and Canada. Joe was a builder. Over the years he built three homes for his family. He began his career at BYU in 1954 rising to the position of Director of Financial Accounting and Reporting. In 1987 Joe designed and implemented the accounting system for the soon to be completed Jerusalem Center for near eastern studies which would house the university’s study-abroad program in the Holy Land. In August 1989 he left his position at BYU to accept the position of Director of Finance at the Jerusalem Center and spent the final five-years of his 40-year BYU career in Jerusalem accompanied by his wife Colleen who served there also. He retired from BYU in 1994. Joe’s integrity and devotion to duty are legendary at BYU. During the next three years he volunteered at the Provo MTC and at the BYU Hawaii campus.

In 1997 he offered to return to the Jerusalem Center as a volunteer in the same position that he had previously held, Director of Finance. Joe and his wife Colleen returned to Jerusalem August of 1997.  April 1998, Colleen passed away in Jerusalem. Following her funeral in Provo Joe returned to Jerusalem and continued to serve at the Center. Early February of 1999, Joes daughter Liisa introduced him to Arlene Jacobson Crump, a widow from Riverton, Utah. They married August 6,1999 and together they traveled to Jerusalem and served until July 2002, completing Joe’s 2nd-five-year term of service at the BYU Jerusalem Center.In 2004 he and Arlene were called on a Humanitarian Service Mission to the Armenian Mission serving in Tbilisi, Georgia where he also served as Branch President.

Joe and Arlene shared a sweet companionship for over 25 years. Joe loved the Lord and served Him faithfully in many positions in the church including bishop, stake clerk, scout leader, primary teacher, district high counselor, MTC branch counselor. He did genealogy, served in the temple and he wrote his Personal History. He loved this country and he kept the laws of the land. He was so obedient that he would not drive through a yellow traffic-light.

Before dementia captured Joe in 2020, he served as an Ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple. His whole life was one of service and kindness. Joe was a man of honesty, deep spirituality, obedience and he had the patience of Job. A patience that continued as he lived this past year in Legacy House “Memory Care Cottages” enduring the final chapter of his life before graduating into the Spirit World.

Joe is survived by his wife Arlene, his nine children and their mates: David (Roxann),  Kyle (Paula-deceased),  Liisa R. Nieveen (Bruce),  Joe A. (Charlie),  Mark (JoLynn),  Miriam R. Taylor (Wayne),  Anneli R. Smith (Craig),  Matt (Linda),  and Robert (Lisa). His brother Duane (Linda), and brother-in-law Roger Kodel, (Jane), 36 Grand Children,  54 Great-Grandchildren and many loved Nieces and Nephews.

The family would like to especially thank the staff at Legacy House Cottages for their kind and efficient care. We appreciate Aspire Hospice for their kindness and attention the last several weeks.

A celebration of this wonderful man’s life will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 10:00 AM in the River Ridge 8th Ward “West Chapel” at 9800 South, 1409 West (Sheilds Lane) in South Jordan, Utah. A viewing will be held on Monday, November 25, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the church and prior to services from 9:00 to 9:45 AM the next day.

Immediately following services, a family luncheon will be held at the Church. The internment will take place at 2:00 PM at the Provo City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to LDS Charities. To watch Joe's funeral: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/M38YY3L3DDNM9SMR