Doris Charlene (Gugelman) Rowley

Friday, July 5, 2013

July 3, 1915 - July 2, 2013

HASTINGS, Nebraska --Hastings resident, Doris Charlene (Gugelman) Rowley, 97, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2013, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, Nebraska.

Services will be Monday, July 8, 2013, 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church, Curtis, Nebraska, with Rev. Bonnie Forney and Pastor Earl Higgins officiating. Burial will be in Curtis Cemetery, Curtis, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given to Good Samaritan Village, Hastings, Nebraska or Curtis Cemetery Association, Curtis, Nebraska.

Visitation will be Friday, July 5, 2013; 2- 8 p.m., Sunday, July 7, 2013; 2 - 6 p.m. with family present on Sunday at Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home, and one hour prior to service at the church on Monday in Curtis.

Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family. Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com.

Doris was born July 3, 1915, at Rackett, Nebraska, and lived on the family ranch in Garden County until she and her siblings reached school age. Due to a lack of area schools they moved to Orafino where she completed 12 years of school. She then attended McCook Junior College and UNL, followed by several years of teaching in Frontier County.

She married Warren Lee Rowley March 27, 1937, at her mother's Orafino home. To that union two children were born, Charlene Laree (Rowley) Turner of Hastings, Nebraska and James Lee Rowley of Syracuse, Nebraska. In the spring of 1950, the family bought a farm south of Curtis and lived there until Doris and Warren moved to McCook in 1970. Warren died Jan. 25, 1981 and Doris then moved to Hastings in 1982 to be closer to family.

Doris was a thrifty and hard worker who sacrificed much for her family. She was an active farm wife who could do the work of any farm hand. She raised chickens and milked many cows twice a day for over 20 years to provide extra money for living expenses and the children's high school and college education. She enjoyed cooking for friends, family and farm help and it was said many times that she could prepare a fabulous meal on short notice. Much of the food was from her large vegetable and flower garden. She was an excellent seamstress and made most of the children's clothes from "recycled" fabric. She loved to quilt and most family members have at least one of her "treasures."

Doris loved music and played the piano and organ for churches and her own enjoyment. She gave piano lessons to area children. Fishing with family and friends was enjoyable to Doris, but mostly she liked the picnic lunches that were a part of the outings.

While living in McCook, Doris worked at Burns Podiatry Clinic and voiced pride in the "good" shoe inserts they made. After moving to Hastings, Doris was active in the First United Methodist Church activities and did volunteer work at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital, Crossroads Center and the Masonic Temple sewing project.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Warren Rowley; parents, William & Mary (Johnston) Gugelman; sister and husband, Helen and Curtis Partridge; brother and wife, Raymond and Birdeena Gugelman; two siblings-in-law, Robert Warren and Earl Fritz; and other relatives and friends.

Survivors include: children and spouses: Charlene and Dennis Turner -- Hastings, Nebraska, James and Twyla (Kaspersen) Rowley -- Syracuse, Nebraska; sisters:Lois Warren -- Chicago, Illinois, Jean Fritz -- North Platte, Nebraska; grandchildren and spouses: Shawn and Michelle Turner, Scott and Ginger Turner, Steve and Susan Turner, Todd Turner, Erin and Worth Lutz, Jeri Rowley, Brett and Kelly Rowley; 16 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.