Billye Jean Rowland
Services celebrating and remembering the life of Billye “Jean” Rowland were held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 21, 2020 at First Baptist Church in Chelsea. Burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Claremore. Visitation was held from 1-5, Sunday, at the funeral home with family there to receive visitors. Jean left her temporary earthly home for her permanent heavenly home on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 in Tulsa, OK, at the age of 83. The family has entrusted DeLozier Funeral Service with Jean’s care.
Born in Yeager, OK on August 10, 1937 to Samuel Lee and Mary Edna (Embree) Bowen, Jean was raised and educated in the Holdenville area. She graduated high school from Holdenville Public Schools. On December 26, 1955 in Holdenville, Jean married the love of her life, Dale Rowland. A marriage that lasted almost 65 years and according to her husband they never spent a night apart due to being angry with each other. Their union was gifted with three sons, Bill, Randy and Gary. Jean not only devoted herself to raising her children and caring for her husband; she contributed to the family finances working as a real estate broker. She and Dale owned and operated Century 21 Gold Key real estate Company in Claremore for several years. It was because of Jean’s people personality and her straight forward and honest way of doing business that her real estate career lasted for almost 35 years.
A woman of great faith in Christ and an appreciation for the instruction she found in God’s word; Jean was faithful to her church and served in several different positions throughout her life. Her family was always the most important thing to her, other than her relationship with her Lord and Savior. The biggest smile could be found on Jean’s face when her family was all together. When grandchildren and great-grandchildren came along it might be said that “Nenaw” became her favorite word. She enjoyed sharing stories of her childhood with her family. Telling them how she would make mud pies and the neighbor boy would actually eat them or her grandfather that carved her a basket out of a peach seed. She lived life to the fullest and made the most out of each and every day.
Jean’s legacy will live on not only in the lives of her family, but the countless friends she has made over the years. And in her own words this would be something that Jean would want to leave you with, “I sure do love you.” Jean is survived by her husband Dale, children, Bill Rowland and wife Teresa, Randy Rowland and wife Julia and Gary Rowland and wife Becky, grandchildren, Philip Rowland and wife Angela, Dayla Rowland, Michael Rowland, Jealene Vest and husband Jonathan, Angela Prock and husband Dylan, Jeremy Rowland and wife Alex, Arthur Rowland, great grandchildren, Micaiah, Emmett, Joseph, Hananiah, Shawn, Aliza Jean, Juliette, Infinity, Devvony, Emberly, Kassidy, Evalynn, Karissa, Connor and another one on the way. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Betty Lou and great grandson, Maverick.
In lieu of flowers or other condolences, please consider making a donation in Jean’s name to the Baptist Children’s Home at 12700 E. 76th Street North, Owasso, OK 74055 or Gideon’s International at 1660 E. 71st Street, Suite-2H, Tulsa, OK 74136.