Rowena Mae Jack was born to Allen Jack and Leonier Winnett in a line shack near Brandon, TX in 1914. She was named for the Lady Roena from Ivanhoe, but the County Clerk misspelled her name on her birth certificate. Rowena was the second of four daughters born to the Allen and Leonier. Shortly after Rowena's birth, the family moved to Hillsboro, TX, where her father worked as a supervisor at the ice house. When Rowena was still a child, her older sister Lena Bell became ill and died. Her mother, grieving the death of her child, died five years later. This left Rowena, Loretta Grace and Edna Pearl alone with their father. He subsequently remarried, and had another daughter, Beverly Ann. Rowena completed the 8th grade, and married Buford Randolph Gunter in her late teens. They travelled through Texas and New Mexico as migrant cotton pickers, and had three children during this time, James Randolph, Jackie Buford and Jerry Wayne. They settled in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Buford worked a series of jobs, including cab and truck driver. They had four more children in Corpus Christi, Johnny Allen, Judy Jonell, Janice Kay, and Joe Dean. Although Rowena did not graduate from high school, education was always immensely important to her. As a result, 4 of her 7 children earned Masters' degrees in the field of Education. Known as "Mamaw" to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her home at 4113 King Richard was the main gathering place for family parties. On her 84th birthday, most of Rowena's family assembled at the family land in Bandera, TX for a birthday party. A concert of her favorite music was held, as well as a campfire and other festivities. It was unseasonably cold, and Rowena watched from a lawnchair chaise lounge, wrapped in her homemade afghans. Within days of the party, Mamaw suffered a bout of angina and was hospitalized. She seemed to bounce back, but within a few days, she passed quietly in her hospital bed. At the time of her death, Rowena had 7 children, 12 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. She was loved beyond measure.
Rowena Mae Jack was born to Allen Jack and Leonier Winnett in a line shack near Brandon, TX in 1914. She was named for the Lady Roena from Ivanhoe, but the County Clerk misspelled her name on her birth certificate. Rowena was the second of four daughters born to the Allen and Leonier. Shortly after Rowena's birth, the family moved to Hillsboro, TX, where her father worked as a supervisor at the ice house. When Rowena was still a child, her older sister Lena Bell became ill and died. Her mother, grieving the death of her child, died five years later. This left Rowena, Loretta Grace and Edna Pearl alone with their father. He subsequently remarried, and had another daughter, Beverly Ann. Rowena completed the 8th grade, and married Buford Randolph Gunter in her late teens. They travelled through Texas and New Mexico as migrant cotton pickers, and had three children during this time, James Randolph, Jackie Buford and Jerry Wayne. They settled in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Buford worked a series of jobs, including cab and truck driver. They had four more children in Corpus Christi, Johnny Allen, Judy Jonell, Janice Kay, and Joe Dean. Although Rowena did not graduate from high school, education was always immensely important to her. As a result, 4 of her 7 children earned Masters' degrees in the field of Education. Known as "Mamaw" to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her home at 4113 King Richard was the main gathering place for family parties. On her 84th birthday, most of Rowena's family assembled at the family land in Bandera, TX for a birthday party. A concert of her favorite music was held, as well as a campfire and other festivities. It was unseasonably cold, and Rowena watched from a lawnchair chaise lounge, wrapped in her homemade afghans. Within days of the party, Mamaw suffered a bout of angina and was hospitalized. She seemed to bounce back, but within a few days, she passed quietly in her hospital bed. At the time of her death, Rowena had 7 children, 12 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. She was loved beyond measure.
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