Obituary: Rowse, Lawrence H.
He grew up on Spokane’s South Hill attending Lewis and Clark High School before being drafted into the Army his senior year at the young age of 17.
He served his country proudly during WWII, serving in five campaigns as a radio operator, including the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day and the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp.
Lawrence was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and awarded the Purple Heart.
He attended Gonzaga University and EWU before meeting his lifelong love of 59 years, his wife Wanda.
Later, he joined the Navy reserves and served as a radio operator instructor.
He graduated from Southwest Photo Arts Institute in Dallas, Texas and enjoyed a lifetime of taking pictures.
Afterwards he worked in the shipyards in Newport Beach as a shipwright which led to his 23 year career as a carpenter with Garco Construction.
Square and round dancing was one of his favorite pastimes for forty years, as was cooking at the annual Salmon Barbeque.
Lawrence was active over the years from playing the gut bucket in the Kookie Kutter Kitchen Band, traveling all over Europe, baking his delicious cinnamon rolls, spending time doing honey do projects at his lake cabin and making everyone laugh with his funny dry sense of humor.
He was a dedicated father who was always willing to lend a helping hand to others and will be greatly missed.
Lawrence was preceded in death, by his beloved wife, Wanda Lou in 2008.
He is survived by his children, Linda (Mike) Cheatham, Roger (Ruth) Rowse, Janet (John) Cole, James (Catherine) Rowse, Susan (Robert) Woehrlin, Julie Erickson, 16 grandchildren, four great- grandchildren, his brother Ray Rowse, and companion, Laura Haile who brought him great joy in his final years.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Hospice of Spokane for their invaluable support.
A memorial service will be held, Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. at the St. Joseph Cemetery Chapel, 17825 E. Trent Ave., followed by interment at the cemetery.
Please visit Lawrence’s on-line memorial at www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com Arrangements entrusted to: