Charles Ray Rowan

Charles Ray Rowan, 100, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, passed away on March 13, 2026, at CenterPoint Medical Center in Independence.

Born on April 18, 1925, in Millville and raised in Hamilton, Missouri, Charles was the son of Henry Tate and Gladys Henrietta (Farr) Rowan. He grew up alongside his siblings: Donna Geraldine, Francis Loreta, Anna Coralie, Ruby Maxine, Virginia Marie, Doris Evelyn, Marilyn June, and Dale Henry. In 1943 he joined the United States Navy submarine service and served in the Pacific theater until the end of World War II. He later attained the rank of Eagle Scout under the guidance of Ambers Lee Glidewell and, while attending college on the GI Bill as a reservist, was recalled to duty during the Korean War. Charles went on to serve in the U.S. government for thirty years, where he was responsible for operating one of the largest computers in the country at the time. A proud farmer and gardener, he was also an avid reader who cherished time spent with his family.

He was united in marriage to Virginia Lucille “Jenny” Harrell of Kansas City on October 31, 1947; she preceded him in death on July 13, 2017. Charles is survived by his children—son Zak and his wife Toni Rowan, daughters Dallas and her husband Chas Griefe, Debby and her husband Brad Rozelle, and Ruth Rowan Pottinger—along with his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many loving family members who will remember him for his quiet strength, dedication, and deep love for those closest to him.