Paul Rowley

1942 - 2019

Paul Rowley
PEORIA - The Rev. Dr. Paul Edwin Rowley "Pastor Ed," 77, of Chester, formerly of Peoria, passed away at 4:50 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Perryville, Missouri.
Paul was born on February 8, 1942, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Paul and Delma (Staples) Rowley. He married Ruth Wuerffel on June 19, 1966, in Lakefield, MN.
Pastor Rowley was a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, where he also earned a Masters in Counseling. He received his Doctor of Ministry through the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.
He served churches in Carrington and Sykeston, ND, Inez, TX, and Bremen, Chester, and Wine Hill, IL. He was a pastoral counselor at Lutheran Social Services in Aberdeen, SD, and Peoria, IL, at Pastoral Services, Bromenn, Bloomington, IL, and Samaritan Counseling in Odessa, TX. The Evangelical Church in America was planning to recognize him for his 50 years in the ministry at the Assembly in June.
Pastor Ed was a loving husband, father and grandfather who liked to tell stories and laugh with people.
Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Ruth; daughter, Anne (Keith) Brown of Ossipee, NH; son, Brian (Jennifer McDonald) Rowley of Del Valle, TX; grandchildren, David and Amanda Bartee, Heidi Broussard and Jacob and Emily Brown.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and Delma DeWeerth; and granddaughter, Heather Bartee.
Memorial service will be at St. John's Lutheran Church in Bremen, with Pastor Dennis Scoville officiating, on May 25 at 11 a.m., with visitation from 9 to 11 a.m.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Research.
Wilson's Funeral Home in Steeleville is assisting the family with the arrangements. To sign the guestbook online, please visit www.wilsonsfuneralhome.net.