Harold Edward Rowden, of rural Meta, was born on September 4, 1930, in Maries County, a son of Clarence Ovid and Jessie Jewel (McKee) Rowden, and departed this life at 5:10 a.m., on Thursday morning, November 7, 2019, in the Maries Manor Care Center, Vienna.  He had been in failing health for some time and had attained the age of 89 years, 2 months, and 3 days.

Harold was united in marriage on June 4, 1949, at Vienna, to the former Miss Lois Maxine Burd, the love of his life, and to this union, four children were born.

He had accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a young man and had followed his Lord in baptism in a nearby creek.  For most of his life, Harold had attended the Smyrna Church of Christ, and at the time of his passing, was a member of the Wheeler Church of Christ, both in rural Dixon.  He had attended the Wheeler School for his elementary education and was a 1948 graduate of the Vienna High School.

During their working life, Harold and Lois, had both worked at Wagner Electric, in St. Louis, prior to them purchasing their farm in rural Maries County and moving there in 1949.  He was then employed at Brown Shoe Company, in Dixon, and later as a carpenter at Fort Leonard Wood.  Prior to his retirement, Harold was employed in maintenance at the Missouri Mental Health Diagnostic Center, in Rolla, for twenty-five years.

With his exceptional voice and harmony driven style, Harold introduced generations to Bluegrass Music, not only in our local surrounding area, but throughout Missouri and parts of the USA.  He was an original member and performer with the Blue Grass Five for twenty-five years and founder and member of the Rowden Review for the remainder of his career.  During his Bluegrass singing career, Harold had received the prestigious Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association (SPBGMA) Award for Traditional Bluegrass Male Vocalist of the Year award five different times along with thirty-one other distinguished citations, certificates, and awards during his career.  He thoroughly enjoyed performing during the Maries County Fair, at local fund raising events, at Senior Citizens Centers in the area, for the residents of various care centers, and being part of Tom Coffey's Crabgrass Music, along with his brother, Jesse Coffey.  It goes without saying, Harold Rowden, loved Bluegrass Music!

Those left to mourn the passing of Harold include:  His devoted wife of over seventy years, Lois Rowden, of the home in rural Meta; his children, Kevin Rowden and wife, Sherry, of rural Meta; Randy Rowden and wife, Charlotte, of Vienna; Keith Rowden and wife, Patty, of rural Meta, and Rhonda Slone and husband, Dwight, of  Vienna; two brothers, Wilburn Rowden of  Jefferson City and Herbert Rowden of Dixon; one sister, Carol Ann Miller and husband, Lewis, of Dixon; eight grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; nephews; nieces; great-nephews; great-nieces; and many other relatives and a host friends.

Mr. Rowden was preceded in death by his father, Ovid, on July 22, 1952; his mother, Jessie, on May 29, 1959; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Doris Finn and husband, Joe, and Jean Vaughan and husband, Victor; and two sisters-in-law, Launa Rowden and Jane Rowden.

Visitation for Mr. Harold Rowden will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., on Friday, November 8, 2019, and from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, November 9, 2019, in the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, 406 South Main Street, Vienna, Missouri  65582.

Funeral services for Mr. Harold Rowden will be conducted at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, November 9, 2019, in the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home Chapel, 406 South Main Street, Vienna, Missouri  65582, with Bro. Kevin Rowden and Bro. Tommy Nichols, Wheeler Church of Christ, Dixon, officiating.

Interment will in the Wheeler Cemetery, near Dixon, under the direction of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home in Vienna.

Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Harold Rowden are suggested by his family to the Wheeler Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund with envelopes available at the funeral home or in care of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri  65582.