Lia Rowley

1938 - 2019

Lia Rowley
November 26, 1938 - November 4, 2019
Lia Rowley, 80, passed away on November 4, 2019, after losing her battle with Parkinson's with Lewy body disease. Lia touched many lives with her deep love and devotion to helping others. She was born in Amsterdam, Holland and moved to Southern California when she was 15 years old. She attended Van Nuys High School and then graduated from UCLA with her BS degree in Zoology. She then earned her Master's Degree with a Secondary Teaching Credential from San Diego State University.
Lia has always had a passion for the care of needy children. Her heart was big and generous. She was the founder of the Los Ositos Child Development center in Nicaragua and she later became the founder of Sonoma County's Children's Village for children in foster care. She received the Congressional Angels in Adoption Award, The National Jefferson Award for Public Service and the National Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for public service.
Lia had a love for nature. She loved working in her garden and taking long walks or hiking with family or friends. She also had a love for music and loved to sing, play the piano and attend the local Symphony.
Lia was the devoted mother to Ingrid (Steve) Perata, Irene Rowley, Jim Rowley, Michael Rowley and Walter (Kristine) Rowley. Lia was also survived by her very special 13 grandchildren: Nicholas Perata, Dion Windom, Alex Perata, D'Sean Windom, Michael Perata, Jordyn Windom, Aiden Rowley, Logan Perata, Jada Rowley, Mitchell Rowley, Malachi Rowley, Paetyn Rowley and Rain Rowley. Lia was proceeded in Death by her parents Cornelius and Johanna Van Wijk and her brother Hans Van Wijk.
Friends and family are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Petaluma, 939 B Street, Petaluma, CA, 94952.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killman Hill Road, S.W. Lilburn, GA, 30047, in memory of Lia Rowley.