Obituary for Jay Rowland Jr.
Jay H. Rowland, Jr., age 98 of Fremont, passed away, Friday, November 13, 2020, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. Jay was born February 23, 1922, at Davenport, Nebraska, to Jay H. and Anna (Rathsach) Rowland.
Jay moved with his parents to Overton, Nebraska, in 1929 and finished his school years there, graduating in 1941. Jay was an athlete in track and basketball, lettering his freshman year, and helping Overton win many conference meets and place in the Nebraska State basketball tournament. Jay enlisted and served in the U.S. Navy from October, 1942, through March, 1946, where he had the rank of Aviation Ordinance Man First Class. Jay was a member of the Overton American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and First Baptist Church of Kearney.
Jay married Lona (Kruger) on September 28, 1947, at Gibbon, Nebraska. Jay and Lona made their home on the farm northeast of Overton, where they raised their family and lived for more than 50 years. Jay farmed and was also a district sales manager for various seed corn companies until he retired in 1989. In retirement, Jay and Lona traveled to visit family in the U.S. and Germany and spent many hours doing genealogy. They moved to Fremont, Nebraska, in September, 2015, to be near family.
Jay is survived by his wife, Lona; daughters, LuAn (Verne) Thomas, and Cindy (Tom) Sunderman; and sons, Rod (Mary) Rowland, and Kirk (Patti) Rowland; 8 grandchildren; 4 step-grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, and 7 step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, a brother, a son, and a great-grandson.
A memorial service is pending; there will be no visitation. Interment will be at the Overton, Nebraska, cemetery, with a private family service.
Memorials are suggested to Gideons International at https://www.gideons.org/donate.
Jay moved with his parents to Overton, Nebraska, in 1929 and finished his school years there, graduating in 1941. Jay was an athlete in track and basketball, lettering his freshman year, and helping Overton win many conference meets and place in the Nebraska State basketball tournament. Jay enlisted and served in the U.S. Navy from October, 1942, through March, 1946, where he had the rank of Aviation Ordinance Man First Class. Jay was a member of the Overton American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and First Baptist Church of Kearney.
Jay married Lona (Kruger) on September 28, 1947, at Gibbon, Nebraska. Jay and Lona made their home on the farm northeast of Overton, where they raised their family and lived for more than 50 years. Jay farmed and was also a district sales manager for various seed corn companies until he retired in 1989. In retirement, Jay and Lona traveled to visit family in the U.S. and Germany and spent many hours doing genealogy. They moved to Fremont, Nebraska, in September, 2015, to be near family.
Jay is survived by his wife, Lona; daughters, LuAn (Verne) Thomas, and Cindy (Tom) Sunderman; and sons, Rod (Mary) Rowland, and Kirk (Patti) Rowland; 8 grandchildren; 4 step-grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, and 7 step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, a brother, a son, and a great-grandson.
A memorial service is pending; there will be no visitation. Interment will be at the Overton, Nebraska, cemetery, with a private family service.
Memorials are suggested to Gideons International at https://www.gideons.org/donate.