Rowena Wise Piper

Rowena Inez Wise Piper passed away peacefully at the Hock Pavilion/Duke Hospice on Tuesday November 14, 2023 four years after developing late onset dementia and aortic stenosis. Her daughters Sharon and Valarie and son-in-law Doug were at her side. Rowena was a much beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, friend and colleague. Her life was marked by her integrity, kindness, humor, generosity, graciousness, creativity, intelligence and deep faith. She was a wonderful and unconditionally loving presence in the lives of her family and friends and didn't know a stranger. All who met Rowena met a woman who welcomed them into her life with respect and love.
Rowena Inez Wise was born on March 31, 1933 in Ada, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of the five children of Burdette Orion Wise and Velma Pace Wise, whose work as civil servants and educators during the great depression and WWII moved the family throughout the south and southwest. After completing high school in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1950, Rowena joined her family in Wichita Falls Texas, where she attended Midwestern College (now University). In 1954, she graduated with a degree in Biologic Sciences, and began her teaching career at Wichita Falls High School, teaching biology.
It was in Wichita Falls at Floral Heights UMC in the Upper Room Sunday School class that Rowena first met Don Piper, an Air Force lieutenant stationed at Sheppard Air Force base. Don's reaction to seeing Rowena enter the class across the room was to state to his Air Force buddy, "I'm going to marry that girl". Rowena's reaction to Don was to call him "Bob" for the first month she knew him. However, once they began dating it did not take either of them long to realize that they had each found the love of their lives. Their engagement is the stuff of family legend, as Rowena's response to Don telling her he loved her was to ask, "Well, what are you going to do about it?" They were married at Floral Heights Methodist Church on July 6, 1956, and had been married 66 years at the time of Don's death in 2022.
Shortly after their wedding, Rowena and Don moved back to Don's hometown in Hyattsville, MD, where Rowena taught biology at Northwestern High School, and their older daughter, Sharon Leigh was born in 1958. Graduate school then took them to Durham NC and Duke University, where Rowena received a Master's of Teaching (biology) in 1962. While in Durham, Rowena also taught math and biology at Northern High School and Brogden Middle School. Their second daughter, Valarie Ann, was born in Durham in 1963.
In 1964, Rowena returned with her young family to Hyattsville, MD where Don had accepted a faculty appointment at the University of Maryland College Park. Several years later, Rowena was appointed as instructional faculty and lab coordinator for the introductory zoology course at UMCP- ZOOL 101. This was the beginning biology course for all students who were life science majors or who were applying to any of the health science schools: nursing, pre-med, pre-dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, and veterinary. In this role, Rowena coordinated all the labs and lecture sections for 300+ students a semester – a huge undertaking. She was a much beloved colleague and instructor, and over the years her fellow faculty became dear and devoted friends, drawn to Rowena's humor, kindness, integrity, work ethic, and generous heart. She retired from UMCP in 1993.
Throughout her life, Rowena was a caregiver and helper. This started at the very young age of 2-3 years old, when Rowena became the companion, champion and protector to her older brother Warren, who suffered brain damage after a complicated home birth. Warren was two years her senior and he was as devoted to her as she was to him. He called her "Ti" for "Tiny" and she cared and advocated for him in many ways, until his death at age 82 years. Rowena was also a primary caregiver for her mother throughout high school and college, after her mother developed Parkinson's disease. For many years after her marriage Rowena traveled each summer to spend weeks in Wichita Falls with Don, Sharon and Valarie, to make sure her parents and Warren were well cared for and that her children had an opportunity to know their Wise grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
After retirement, Rowena took on more of her characteristic care giving roles, doing afternoon pickup and snacks/dinner for Sharon's children after school, becoming the legal power of attorney for a colleague who developed dementia, and working with Don at the Meals on Wheels for First United Methodist church in Hyattsville. In 2005, Rowena and Don moved back to Durham NC, where Valarie now lived, so that they could be present and engaged in the lives of their two youngest grandchildren.
Rowena's relationship with her grandchildren was one that was mutually cherished. Being "RowRow" was one her most important and well-loved jobs. She with Don ("Abba") attended games, plays, choir concerts, graduations, and other activities, played games, sang songs, hosted sleepovers, made favorite snacks and eggs goldenrod. Always generous, she made sure her grandchildren had "extra spending money" for their activities and trips. She often offered her opinion, but her love was unconditional and non-judgmental. For her, family was everything, and even in dementia she knew who her children and grandchildren were, always ended visits by saying "We have a great family", or "Let's get together again soon."
The last four years of Rowena's life were difficult with the development of dementia and the global pandemic. But she maintained her loving and caring spirit, including in her circle of love the wonderful caregivers and staff at Calyx Adult Living in Durham, who became her extended family. We are grateful for the kindness and love that they provided to both Rowena and us as we navigated the last years of her life.
Rowena is survived by daughters Sharon Piper (Tom Ruggieri) and Valarie (Doug) James, grandchildren Amelia (Shara Epstein), Sarah, and Samuel Ruggieri, Matthew and Duncan James, great-grandchildren Zev and Shiloh Epstein; brothers in law William (Carolyn) Piper and Scott (Jackie) Piper; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday November 25, 2023 at Mt. Sylvan United Methodist Church, 5731 N Roxboro St., Durham NC 27712. Internment of both Rowena and Don's ashes at the Mt. Sylvan columbarium will occur at the end of the memorial service. A reception and fellowship meal will be held at the church immediately following the service. All are invited.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rowena's name to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC – Durham. https://foodbankcenc.org/