Harriette Dozier Rowe, 93, of Tifton died Friday, March 16, 2012, at her residence. A Celebration of Harriette’s Life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church in Tifton. Rev. Hugh Ward and Lay Ministers Reggie Chung and Norman Glaze will officiate. A time with family and friends will immediately follow the service in the church fellowship hall. Everyone is invited to celebrate her life. A private family interment will be scheduled for a later date.
Her philosophy of life was simple: to whom much is given, much is expected.
Born December 27, 1918 in Selma, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late William Price Dozier and Thelma M. Pinkston Dozier. She was the wife of the late Lester Harris Rowe. She moved to Tifton in 1936 and graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Georgia in 1941 and completed post-graduate work at the UGA Medical School in Lab and X-ray Technology.
She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Laura Rowe Barron and her husband, Jack, of Knoxville, Tennessee; one son and daughter-in-law, Dozier Albert Rowe and his wife, Carol, of Statham; and two granddaughters, Laura Elizabeth Rowe of New York, New York and Sara EmilyAnn Rowe of San Diego, California.
Her commitment to her faith is evident by having been elected as the first woman deacon at the First Presbyterian Church, first woman elder and trustee. She served in these responsibilities multiple times over the years, in addition to teaching Sunday school for most of her adult life. Most important is the example she lived for her children, family and friends.
Her passion to give back to her community is evident throughout her life. After serving as a Girl Scout leader for 10 years, she was elected President of the Flint River Girl Scout Council and later received the “Thanks Badge”, which is the highest honor given to volunteers. Throughout her life, she has served the following boards of directors; United Way, Spring Hill Country Club, Keystone Medical Services Corporation, Coastal Plains Health Alliance, Inc., Tifton-Tift County Library, Coastal Plains Regional Library and the Literacy Volunteers of America, as well as secretary/treasurer of the Tift General Hospital Board. She still made time for delivering Meals on Wheels for over 31 years and served in the Soup Kitchen for her church.
Her last major service to this community was a County Commissioner from the 5th District, 1993 to 2004. Mrs. Rowe received the George Wright Outstanding Senior Citizen Award and was placed on the “Wall of Fame” in the Tifton Chamber of Commerce.
Mrs. Rowe worked at the Tifton-Tift County Public Library for 31 years and she led the campaign to pass the Library Bond Referendum to renovate the old Post Office Building. The Board Room was renovated in her honor by the Stafford family.
One thing she would like to be remembered for: after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling overturned segregation in public schools, the popular sentiment in Georgia was to do away with public education altogether. As a mother of two children, Rowe firmly stood on the side of integration. In 1960, Mrs. Rowe went to Valdosta to speak before the Sibley Commission, an education commission accredited with saving public schools in Georgia. She thought it would have ruined the State of Georgia to do away with public education.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the First Presbyterian Church, P. O. Box 304, Tifton, GA 31793; or Hospice of Tiftarea, P. O. Drawer 747, Tifton, GA 31793.