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Mrs. Bertha Marie Rowland
Mrs. Bertha Marie Rowland, 94, of Fernandina Beach, passed away peacefully on Tuesday afternoon, April 11, 2017, at her home, surrounded by her family.
Born in New Bedford, Mass., she was one of seven children born to the late Fred and Laura Marie Cormier Arsenault. Her father, who was a commercial deep sea diver on the New England coast, passed away tragically when Bertha was 8 years old. Her mother moved with the children back to her childhood home of Shediac, New Brunswick, for a short time before returning to Waltham, Mass.
At the age of 20, she met and married a young sailor, Dupont Damon “Duke” Rowland. The newlyweds made their first home in Providence, R.I., where their first child was born. Upon her husband’s honorable discharge, they settled in his hometown of McRae, Ga. While her husband worked in sawmill and petroleum businesses in south Georgia, Mrs. Rowland made their home and raised their additional six children, who were born while living in McRae.
In 1958, in search of a better life for his family, her husband moved the family to Fernandina Beach. Mr. Rowland immediately built Rowland’s Southern States on the corner of Magnolia Lane and South Eighth Street and their home on adjoining property. He unexpectedly passed away later that same year.
At the time of her husband’s passing, Mrs. Rowland became a single mother of eight children and a business owner. In 1963, she began working as a secretary for Exteen Corbett at Nassau Fertilizer. As she managed the needs of her children and worked for Mr. Corbett, she became the family matriarch. Her home became the safe haven, not only for her children but also other family members, as circumstances would require. Her children grew up knowing that their mother’s life was centered around each of their needs, both physical and spiritual. In 1976, her eldest son, Barry Edwin Rowland, died in a local boating accident. The loss of her son left an indelible scar on her heart and emotions that drew her closer to her already deeply rooted faith within the Roman Catholic church. Mrs. Rowland continued to work for Nassau Fertilizer until retiring in 1988.
She was a longtime and devout member of St. Michael Catholic Church, where she delivered communion to members who were homebound and served on various committees responsible for the care of the altar linens.
Mrs. Rowland leaves behind those she served, her children, Raymond Rowland and his wife, Linda, Duane Rowland and his wife, Peggy, Elaine Rhatigan and her husband, Tommy, Doris Welch and her husband, Richard, Norman Rowland and his wife, Melanie, Renee Pitts and her husband, Troy, and Rush Rowland. She leaves behind two siblings she cherished, a brother, Jerry Arsenault of Dallas, and a sister, Doris Gordon of San Diego; 24 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; three great- great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15, in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard, with the Rev. Father Tom Sullivan officiating.
The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the hour of service at Oxley-Heard.
She will be laid to rest beside her mother in Bosque Bello Cemetery.
Please share her Life Story and leave your condolences and memories at www.oxleyheard.com.
Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors