Lucille Elizabeth "Beth" (Dewart) Rowe

Lucille Elizabeth (Dewart) Rowe, 72, died peacefully on February 6th, 2021 in Groton, NY due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.  “Beth” as she was known to friends and family was born October 5th, 1948 in Springfield, MA and spent her childhood in Beverly, MA where she attended the Pingree School in nearby Hamilton, MA.

Shortly after graduating from Beloit College in Beloit, WI with a BA in sociology, she married her college beau Clarence Gregory Rowe. She went on to successfully pursue her Masters in Education in 1970 and moved with her husband to Silver Spring, MD to start a family and begin what became a 30 year career dedicated to child education.  She was a natural and gifted educator who cared deeply for her students, first teaching bi-lingual classes at the Oyster-Adams School, then co-founding the Contemporary Child Development Center in Washington, DC where she developed and led a curriculum of early childhood education.  Subsequently, she entered the Montgomery County Public Schools system where she taught elementary education devotedly and passionately until her retirement in 2003, providing a welcoming and inclusive learning environment to a diverse student body representing broad cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Beth was also a long time and dedicated parishioner at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Silver Spring, MD, where she was a member of the choir and the chimes ensemble.  She was well known in the community for her ardent volunteerism and advocacy for many local causes, including refugee assistance, hunger and homelessness prevention and environmental protection- volunteering regularly at the Shepherd's Table soup kitchen and leading community clean-ups at the Sligo Creek Watershed. She enjoyed observing birds and wildlife while walking her dog Sydney, swimming and jazzercise classes at the local YMCA, delivering Meals on Wheels to community members in need, and relaxing with a cup of english breakfast tea while listening to her favorite hymns.

Beth is survived by her two sons, Jesse and Keith, her brothers Timothy, Alan, Brian, and William, and her sister Judith. She is preceded in death by her former husband Clarence Rowe and her parents, Ann and the Reverend Russell Dewart.  Her family and friends will always remember her broad, beautiful, infectious smile, her open, selfless, and giving heart, and her deep, abiding love for nature and family.

A memorial service will be held in Tadoussac, Quebec, a family retreat for several generations which held a very special significance to Beth and where she always found peace.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be gratefully made to ShepherdsTable.org  The family would like to gratefully acknowledge and thank the dedicated staff of caregivers at Groton Community Health, in Groton NY, who provided competent and compassionate care to Beth during her time with them.

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