Bessie E. Rowland

Bessie Elizabeth Rowland, age 80, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, died Friday, November 6, 2009, at Liberty Village, Freeport, Illinois from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 9, 2009 at the Mt. Carroll Church of God, with Reverend George Reser officiating. Burial will follow in the Lanark City Cemetery, Lanark. Visitation will be held from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., prior to the service at the church. A memorial fund has been established in Bessie’s memory.

Bessie was born on October 2, 1929, the daughter of Oscar Earl and Elizabeth Louise (Hartman) Isenhart in Fairhaven Township, Carroll County. She graduated from Chadwick High School with the Class of 1947. Bessie married Earl A. Rowland on October 11, 1947.

Bessie worked as a server for Hi-Way Café, Lanark for ten years. She later worked for Dura Automotive in Mount Carroll for thirty years, retiring in 2004. Most of all Bessie loved taking care of her family. Bessie was a member of the Mount Carroll Church of God and helped on various mission trips. She volunteered with CONTACT in Freeport with more than 2500 hours served. Bessie also hosted a Thanksgiving fellowship program for international students from the Chicago area that weren’t able to make it home for the holidays. She enjoyed traveling, especially family trips and loved spending time with her family and friends. Bessie was known for her community service and enjoyed watching her favorite television show, Wheel of Fortune.

Bessie will be dearly missed by her daughter, Sandra (Gary) Koehn; a granddaughter, Stacy (Greg) Wagner; a grandson, Derek (Kim) Koehn; and two great granddaughters, Taylor and Lauren Koehn, all of Freeport; a daughter in-law, Barb Rowland of Rapid City, South Dakota; three sisters, Harriet French of Freeport, Esther (George) St. Ores of Freeport, and Mary Alice (David) Isenhart-Brahms of Carlsbad, California; and several nieces and nephews.

Bessie is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Earl; one son, Larry Rowland in May of 2003; six brothers, Harry, Vernon, Herb, Paul, Norman, and James Isenhart; and two sisters, Della Hussey and Naomi Isenhart.