Jerry Rowland

Jerry Kent Rowland was born in Nov. 1931 in Ketchikan, Alaska, to Clarence and Grace Rowland (McKibben). He passed on into eternity on Saturday, 6th April 2013. At an early age, he returned to the Pacific Northwest with his father, who worked for the Fisheries Dept., in many places that hatcheries were kept in Montana, Idaho, and Washington state. During the Second World War, Jerry lived in Bremerton and Silverdale while his parents worked in the shipyards. After the war was over, they returned to Zillah where Jerry worked part-time for his father at the Mobil Service station in town, where the Circle-L mart sits today. Jerry graduated from Zillah High School in 1950 and later that year enlisted in the US Navy. After boot camp in California, he served aboard the USS Kermit Roosevelt, a repair ship, as a gunner’s mate during the Korean War. He made two trips across the Pacific at 8 knots an hour, as well as ports of call in Korea, Japan, San Francisco, Pearl Harbor, Etc. His mother sent him his Army draft notice while he was already in Korea. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in August 1954. He returned to the Bremerton - Silverdale area and ran his own service station for several years as a young man, with help from his father, as well as working with his father in the liquor store. He was also a car salesman towards the end of his time on the coast. In the early sixties, he returned to Zillah when his father retired, and he worked at the same station that his father had owned during his teen-age years. Jerry took over the station in August of 1963, and ran it again for several more years after that. In July of 1963, he married Jean Furman, and they enjoyed and endured nearly fifty years of marriage together. They were blessed with a son in September of 1964, Herbert Clarence Rowland. After leaving the station in the late sixties, Jerry worked for Pabisz Motors in Toppenish for several years selling cars. Then in the early 1970s he began turning his hobby of restoring old Model A Fords into his business. He traveled all over the Northwest to various swap meets, wrecking yards, private sales, and the like, finding old cars and parts. Later, he specialized exclusively in Mercury and Lincoln parts from the pre-war and post-war years up to the early sixties. He was a member and past president of the Apple Valley Model A Ford car club during the seventies and eighties, as well as the Early Ford V8 Club. He also served in the local booster club and as part of the Zillah Float Crew for several years during that time. He retired from the car parts business about the turn of the century, but still traveled about, especially to the beach at Lincoln City, Oregon. Jerry made friends easily and enjoyed his time here on the Earth. He loved his family very much, and all the times they had together, especially in his youth. He did will for himself and had a great time most of his life. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and his son, Herbert. Rest in Peace, Dear Father. Our special thanks to the Zillah emergency services people who helped out when we needed them and to the wonderful people that work for Memorial Hospital. They are first class, caring professionals. Recitation of the rosary will be held at 6 PM Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 AM Thursday, April 11, at Resurrection Catholic Church in Zillah. Valley Hills Funeral Home in Zillah is in care of the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jerry Rowland, please visit our flower store.