Gayle Arlene Rowland

Gayle Arlene Rowland, 86, passed away on Saturday, June 23, at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage following a heart attack. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 28, at 3:00 P.M. at Lazy Mountain Bible Church, 16005 Shawn Dr., Palmer, Alaska. A private graveside service will be held at the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery. Gayle was born on January 29, 1932, in Glenwood, Minnesota. The oldest daughter of farming parents, Virgil and Lillian Eckert, she became a part of the Colony Project and moved with her parents to Palmer at the age of 3, in May of 1935. She and her one-year-old brother, Wesley, were “Colony Kids” and helped their family begin a farm on their drawn lot in Palmer located near the current location of Palmer High School. Gayle and Wesley were joined by younger brother Wayne eleven years later. Along with her brothers, Gayle assisted as her family built a home, raised crops, ran a dairy, and fished, hunted, and gardened for subsistence. Gayle graduated from Palmer High School in 1949 and next attended Washington State College (WSU), where she earned a certificate as a Laboratory Technician after interning at St. Luke’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington. She met Robert Rowland while in college and the two married on June 15, 1951. Gayle worked at a number of hospitals during Robert’s service in the Navy during the Korean War. They moved to Palmer in 1954 and welcomed five children to their family during those early years in Palmer. Gayle and Robert enjoyed numerous friendships and church fellowship as they raised their family with an appreciation for the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and athletics. They built a home on Maud Road near Palmer where Gayle lived for 55 years. Gayle worked at Valley Hospital as a Lab Technician before working at the Palmer Pioneer Home as a Social Worker. Robert preceded her in death in February, 2000, after forty-nine years of loving marriage. Gayle was a member of the United Protestant Church in Palmer and later Lazy Mountain Bible Church. She and Robert hosted a weekly youth group in their home during the 1960’s and 70’s. In keeping with her commitment to serve her family, she enjoyed years of participation in Valley Homemakers group. Following her retirement, she enjoyed many civic volunteer activities including the Palmer Pioneer Home, Palmer Cemetery Board, Mat-Su Regional Hospital, Elections worker, Tax aide, Food Bank, Senior Center Board, Palmer Historical Society, and docent for the Colony House Museum. Her recent ministry responsibilities include the church prayer chain, prison ministry, greeter, church library attendant, 65 Alive, and Joykeepers--a ministry to widows. Gayle was a theater enthusiast, attending numerous plays at Valley Performing Arts and Palmer High School, along with performances by the Community Band. As an avid reader, she was a member of several book clubs over the years. She remained active as a gardener, hiker, and swimmer until the day of her death. Gayle will be fondly remembered as a thoughtful hostess, keen housekeeper, and role model by family and friends. She kept an cozy home, which was always a welcoming place with a cup of coffee, good conversation, encouragement, and rest. She constantly looked for ways to serve, feed, and make others comfortable which she did very well. Gayle never stopped learning and was an eager traveler--she loved camping as a younger woman and traveled the world later in life. Most of all, she loved God, and it was apparent in every aspect of her life. She loved to worship, study Scripture, talk about her faith, and encourage others in theirs. Gayle is survived by brothers Wesley Eckert of Bellevue, WA; Wayne Eckert and wife Shari of Davis, CA; son James Rowland and wife Marla of Palmer; son Steve Rowland and wife Debbie of Palmer; son Lee Rowland of Santa Barbara; son Dale Rowland and wife Jenny of Fairbanks; daughter Ann Norris and husband Kipp of Valdez. Her grandchildren are Jaime Rowland-Naranjo, Janelle and Derek Alley, Isaac and Raena Rowland, Matthew Rowland, Jason Rowland and Debbie Paine, Kara and Jeremy Pennington, Andrew and Megan Rowland, Annie and Stephen Fink, Hannah and Joe Grewe, Dalton Rowland, Trevor and Sara Norris, Rylee Norris, Sam Norris, and Kade Rowland. She is also survived by eleven great-grandchildren. Flowers may be sent to Lazy Mountain Bible Church by 1:00 pm on Thursday, 16005 Shawn Dr., Palmer. In lieu of flowers, donations in memorial may be sent to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Partners Vision Fund, at https://donate.intervarsity.org/donate#22176. The account name is “In Memory of Gayle Rowland”.