Sally Lou Rowse passed peacefully at age 80 after a massive stroke that took her quickly on Friday Aug. 18, 2023.
She was born Feb. 21, 1943 in Altadena, California by her parents Alex and Amy Motes. Her childhood friend Carolyn is here today and grew up as best friends together.
She met her husband James Rowse at Seattle Pacific University, where they chummed around with Daryl and Cheryl Udd and Mike and Donna Olson on a lifetime of double dates. Sally graduated from SPU with a degree in Home Economics that led her on a path of teaching thousands of teenagers how to cook and sew, including her grandchildren Jessica, Taylor and Caden. She met her colleague and friend Gina at Maryhill Junior High where they worked across the hall from each other enjoying the antics of their students. Sally also taught Sunday school and Bible studies that one day evolved into the Widows Mite, a support group she created for widows at Word of Life Church in Lynden after losing Jim 19 years ago.
Sally also loved to take her kids camping every summer to the Okanagan where she would make Hobo packs over the camp stove for dinner. Her love for travel took her to Hawaii, Europe and Israel where she studied at the University of Jerusalem with husband Jim. Her biggest frustration in recent years was she couldn’t travel more due to her Parkinson’s which took over her ability to walk the city streets.
On her and Jim’s honeymoon, they met Barb and Alvin Van Dalen on the same plane who became lifelong friends and introduced them to this small, Dutch inspired town called Lynden. She lived in many cities, but Lynden was always her home where she became a librarian, reading to children who would attend her reading circle. She loved the Lynden Fair and would host family and friends all week who wanted to see the horse shows, Loverboy concerts, and Dahlia competitions. Of course we always stopped for ice cream and chocolate covered strawberries.
Christmas was her favourite time of year where she would cook huge dinners of deliciousness and write recipes of cookies and treats. She was always tearing recipes from magazines and building folders of new ideas for dinner and deserts.
Sally is best known for her gifting of hospitality, love of cooking and her faith and commitment to her Savior. She has been a devoted wife, loving mother and kind friend to many. We celebrate that we have peace in the confidence she is now with Christ, her father, mother, brother and Jim.
She is survived by her three children Laura, Dale, Stephen and wife Jennifer as well as grandchildren, Jessica, Taylor and Caden.
One thing is for certain, life was always delicious around Grammy.
Her funeral service was held Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, at the Gillies Funeral Home chapel, followed by burial in Monumenta Cemetery, Lynden.
Sally’s funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
