Robert Duncan Rowan, 75 of Clarkesville, Ga. passed away on April 7, 2019 surrounded by family. Known by friends and colleagues as “Bob” and by his family as “Dunc,” Bob was a loving, compassionate, hardworking, humble, and wonderfully humorous person. He was very generous with his time and support for friends, family and his community. Bob volunteered regularly with H.I.M. Ministries in Clayton, Ga. and as a docent at the Folk Pottery Museum in Cleveland, Ga. Bob served as Eucharistic minister, Sacristan and Rosary leader at St. Helena’s Catholic Church in Clayton, and previously as a youth leader at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Marietta, Ga. Over the course of his life, he donated more than 100 gallons of blood to save the lives of people he would never know.
Bob built a long career in the textile industry. During his 35 years in sales, he also served on the boards for M. Lowenstein Corp and Springs Industries, as well as President of the Atlanta Textile Club and the Southeastern Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Association. He also served as Chairman of the Georgia Tech Bob McKay Scholarship Committee for 18 years and created and chaired the Southern Polytech Bob Pee Scholarship Program.
A veteran of the Vietnam War, Bob served in the United States Army from 1965 to 1968. He was First Lieutenant, Communications Officer & Administrative Officer, 41st Artillery Battalion in Saigon, and prior as Director of Student Affairs and Administrative Officer, U.S. Army Signal School Ft. Monmouth, NJ.
Bob is survived by his wife Julianne, Gainesville, Ga., and his daughters Elizabeth Rowan Chandler (Travis), Brady Plevač (Karel), and Lindsay Rowan Conner (Kevin); his grandchildren Anna Kate Chandler and Milan Plevač; sisters Lucy Jardine Adams and Caroline Rowan Miller; brother Bruce Colin Rowan; and by 9 nieces and nephews and 16 great-nieces and nephews.
Born in Pinehurst, N.C., Bob now joins his heavenly father and his loved ones who went before him: his parents Col. Robert Louis and Katherine Callaway Rowan of Athens, Ga., his sister Lisa Rowan Burke of Antioch, Ca., and his sister-in-law Cathy Plemons Rowan, of Athens.
A Celebration of Life Mass will be held for Bob at St. Helena Catholic Church Clayton, Ga., Wednesday June 26, 2019 at 11 a.m. The inurnment of his ashes will take place at the Memorial Garden Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to HIM Ministry, Clayton Baptist Church, 120 S. Church Street, Clayton, Ga. 30525 or to F.A.I.T.H. (Fight Abuse in the Home), P.O. Box 1964, Clayton, Ga. 30525.
