Major Roy Rowland

Major Roy Rowland, a retired Salvation Army officer, was born in Perry Sound Ontario, Canada February 4, 1924 to Salvation Arm Officer parents, Brigs. John and Henrietta Rowland. These devoted parents taught their family the values of integrity, service to other and living “for the Lord”---Christianity at its best. They brought the family to the United States when he was a young child. Roy had five siblings, Ron, Claude, Ruth, Alvin and Albert. They, with their families all loved music, especially brass banding. All of them, including Roy learned to play brass instruments and played in Salvation Army bands. For many years Roy played in The Chicago Staff Band. As part of his ministry, Roy taught children, including his own, the joy of music, providing music lessons coupled with Christian mentorship. Early in life, it was clear that Roy, despite having an easy going temperament, had a little bit of dare devil in his DNA. He began, at age 17, flying as a sport, loved to spend his weekends hanging out with the airplane mechanics at the airport, and planning cross country excursions. Throughout his life, he never lost his love of adventure in the sky. Roy met his wife, Janet, affectionately known as Ena, when they were both 16 years old in Detroit, Michigan. They7 were married five years later and had a happy marriage completely devoted to each other until her death in 2007. Roy and Ena committed their lives to the service of others, went to The Salvation Army Officers in pastoral and social service ministry in Lola, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Leavenworth, Kansas; Lawrence, Kansas, Chicago, Illinois; Peoria, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; and again Chicago, Illinois. Very early in his career, about 1956, during his assignment to Leavenworth, Kansas, Roy expressed a special interest in helping incarcerated men and women. He became devoted to ministering to this population. It was not unusual, during the years when half way houses didn't exist, for Roy and Ena to set up a special room in their home, for men to stay until they could find a job and move home. It made great sense for the Salvation Army to assign Roy to The Salvation Army Correctional Services work, first in St. Louis, Missouri and later to the management of the Salvation Army work release programs in Chicago, Illinois. His Correctional Service work spanned a period of many years. After his retirement in 1989, Roy and Ena settled in Redington Shores, Florida, where he lived the remainder of his life. Roy loved his neighbors and his dog “Sally” and said he could never leave because they were all so precious to him. Roy is survived by his daughter, Claudia, his daughter-in-law Louise and her husband, Karl Blessing, and his grandson, Will. Cards may be sent to: Claudia Rowland (rowlandcin@me.com) 17940 Gulf Blvd. Unit 1F Redington Shores, Florida 33708 Karl and Louisa Blessing (andWill) (kibless2011@yahoo.com) 16216 Woodland St. Woodhaven, Mi 48183

Major Roy Rowland

January 28, 2020