Mary Anne Rowlett

Mary Anne Rowlett, 75, of Richmond died peacefully Saturday, December 19, 2009, after a short illness. She spent her final days surrounded by family and friends in the Hospice Compassionate Care Center in Richmond and now rejoins her husband, Dr. John D. Rowlett, in the Kingdom of Our Lord.Born to Lula and Durward Mason on Christmas Eve, 1933, she was raised in Millersburg, Ky., with her sister, the late Frances Mason Robertson and her brother, the late Kerr Mason. She graduated from Bourbon County High School and enrolled at Eastern Kentucky State College (now Eastern Kentucky University) in 1951. It was at Eastern that she enrolled in a crafts course taught by a young professor from Texas, John D. Rowlett. In addition to achieving what she described as "The hardest A I ever made" (though she had a nearly perfect GPA before her 1954 graduation from Eastern), she fell in love with and married Dr. Rowlett, and together theycelebrated 50 years of marriage. They were blessed with four children: Debra, Janet, John and Virginia.Mrs. Rowlett was the consummate daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and eventually, great-grandmother. She was active in countless community and civic groups. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Richmond for more than 55 years, where she taught Sunday school, served as a deacon and volunteered on as numerous committees. She remained until very recently active in Women's Bible Study and the Women's Circle. She loved gardening, especially flowers. For more than five decades she was active with the Madison County Garden Club. In addition to several stints as president of the local chapter, Mrs. Rowlett is the former president of the Kentucky Garden Club. She loved bridge and was a member of many different bridge groups. She was in the MadisonCounty Homemaker's club for more than 50 years, serving as president on several occasions. She loved hosting parties at her home, particularly during the Christmas season. She enjoyed making Christmas decorations and her holiday adorned home once was featured in the Christmas Day edition of the Lexington Herald-Leader. She was a wonderful seamstress and in addition to making two of her daughter's wedding dresses, she sewed literally thousands of outfits, costumes and crafts during her lifetime. She was especially honored to, along with her friends, prepare burial clothing for premature infants born at Pattie A. Clay Hospital. She was a wonderful cook and prepared tens of thousands of meals for families and friends. Until recently, she gifted many friends each Christmas Eve with a homemade Christmas Pecan Bread Ring. Mrs. Rowlett loved and served many aspects of Eastern Kentucky University. She was a member of the Eastern Women's Club for more than 40 years. Mrs. Rowlett's support for Eastern was manifest in her devotion and support of her husband's career. She entertained prospective and future faculty, maintained a household as Dr. Rowlett journeyed to secure funding for Eastern, attended hundreds of university functions and was very involved in the university lives of her four children, each an EKU graduate. Mrs. Rowlett loved Eastern sports and had a nearly spotless attendance at home Eastern football and basketball games for the better part of 50 years. After her husband's death, Mrs. Rowlett established the John D. Rowlett Fund for Faculty Professional Development through the EKU Foundation. She loved to travel and over the course of her life was able to visit all 50 states and with her husband, voyaged to many foreign countries. After her husband and soulmate died in 2004, she continued her travels with her children, friends and church groups. As recently as this summer, she traveled to New England and Canada with her three daughters. Her final trip, a July visitto Myrtle Beach, afforded her first and only helicopter ride.Mrs. Rowlett was preceded in death by: her husband, parents and siblings. She is survived by: her children and their spouses, Debra Rowlett King (Chuck King) of Richmond, Ky., Janet Rowlett Robison (Dr. Allen Robison) of Powder Springs, Ga., Dr. John D. Rowlett (Sharon) of Savannah, Ga., and Virginia Rowlett Fairchild (Jeff Fairchild) of Lexington, Ky.; her grandchildren, Lindsay King Musgrove (Lucian), Richard King, Russell King, Robert King, Daniel Robison, Thomas Robison (Katie), Carson Villa, Paige Rowlett, Olivia Villa, Chase Fairchild, Emily Fairchild and Riley Fairchild; and by two great-grandchildren, Caleb and Abby Musgrove. Emily and Riley will care for Mrs. Rowlett's beloved dog, Annie.Donations to honor the life of Mrs. Rowlett can be made to the John D. Rowlett Fund for Faculty Professional Development at Eastern Kentucky University, CPO 19A, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475 or online at HYPERLINK "http://www.eku.edu/development" www.eku.edu/development (click "Make a Gift Now" and designate to the Rowlett Fund); or contact Jessica Coleman Hastings, director, RegionalAdvancement, Eastern Kentucky University via e-mail at jessica.hastings@eku.edu.The family will greet visitors at Oldham, Roberts and Powell Funeral Home in Richmond from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, December 22. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 23, 2009, at First Presbyterian Church of Richmond. Following a brief graveside service at Richmond Cemetery with interment next to her husband, Mrs. Rowlett's friends and family will celebrate her life with a noon potluck luncheon in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church.To express condolences, please visit www.orpfh.com.