Jimmy Lydell Rowe

Jimmy Lydell Rowe, 88, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, December 11, 2018. He was born July 13, 1930 in Electra, TX to B. H. (Harry) & Myrtle Rowe. He moved to East Texas with his parents when he was about one year old. He went to school in Kilgore, Sabine & Gladewater. He graduated from Gladewater High School in 1948. He attended Kilgore Jr. College before transferring to North Texas State Teachers College in Denton, TX (now University of North Texas). He married Elba Jean Colburn on August 24, 1952 at Yarrellton Baptist Church (near Cameron, TX). They lived in Arlington, TX for one year where Jean taught at Arlington High School while Jimmy finished his degree and received a BA in Industrial Education in 1953. That same year he taught in a Junior High in Ft. Worth for a spring semester, while working on his Master’s.

Jimmy came to Gladewater in August 1953 to teach printing & photography. He taught 37 years and ran the school Print Shop, which printed everything for Gladewater ISD and the Gregg County Co-op during his teaching career. He was a member of VICA, NEA, TSTA and TRTC. He also filmed the Gladewater Bear football games from 1953-1985. He was awarded Outstanding Former Student of GHS Alumni in Sept. 2016. In his spare time he was an avid fisherman.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, B. H. Rowe, Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, of 66 years, five sons: Jay Rowe & wife, Martha, of Gladewater, TX, Jeff Rowe & wife, Karen, of Longview, TX, Jed Rowe & wife, Janell, of Pittsburg, TX, Jody Rowe of St. Louis, MO and Jon Rowe & wife, Cindy, of Gladewater, TX. Fourteen Grandchildren: Joshua Rowe & fiancée, Katherine Myers, Jeremy Rowe, Ben Rowe & wife, Melissa, Jacob Rowe & fiancée, Kayla Taylor, Lance Rowe, Linsey Delaney & husband, Staten, Luke Rowe & wife, Britni, Aaron Rogers & fiancée, Mary McDonald, Jana Rowe, Jared Rowe, Mike Rowe, Alyssa Rowe & fiancée, Daniel Elbert, Leslie Finnegan & husband, Michael and Rebecca Rowe. Eleven Great Grand Children Jaidyn Rowe, Espe Gonzales, Lexi Rowe, Hayden Rowe, Kerstin Dean, Landon Rowe, Reed, Ryder & Renn Delaney, Austin Rowe and Lennox Rogers.

The family will receive friends on Friday, December 14, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater. Saturday, December 15, 2018 private family burial will be at 10:00 am at Gladewater Memorial Park. Memorial service will be held at 11:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Gladewater.

In lieu of flowers, you may send donations to the Jimmy Rowe Memorial Scholarship Fund, City National Bank P.O Box 1030 Gladewater, TX 75647