On May 24, 2016, Jean Therese (Collins) Rowe passed away gracefully at her Gaithersburg home in the company of her husband Richard in the 66th year of their beautiful marriage. Jean earned admirers for her wonderful art work earning local recognition for her remarkable paintings and drawings. She combined her art with a passion for classical music, sketching musicians and conductors while attending concerts at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore. She was known for her love of gardening and passed this along to her children.
Born on November 29, 1928, in Worcester, MA, Jean graduated from Saint Peter’s High School and earned her dental hygienist certificate from Forsyth Dental Institute in Boston. She completed numerous art courses at Montgomery College. Jean was predeceased by her father, William Collins and mother, Dorothy (Brown) Collins, as well as three of her children: James Burns Rowe, Dorothy Rowe Boyle, and William Collins Rowe.
Jean is survived by her husband Richard and children: Richard J. Rowe, Jr. (Maj Gen, USA Ret.) of Alexandria, VA; Mary Jean Rowe of Ashland, VA; Timothy M. Rowe of Damascus, MD; Bartholomew Rowe of Clarksburg, MD; Lucien M. Rowe of Chapel Hill, NC; Hannah Rowe Christopher of Kennett Square, PA; and Edward V. Rowe (Lt Col, USA Ret.) of Lansing, KS. In addition to their 10 children, Jean and Richard are grandparents of 28 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Jean also leaves behind her brother Paul, sister-in-law Ellen and an extended family of relatives and friends.
There will be a funeral mass for Jean at St. Martin”s Catholic Church, Gaithersburg, MD on June 3 at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to The Nature Conservancy (http://www.nature.org) In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to The Nature Conservancy (http://www.nature.org).
