From the Gorgen Funeral Homes website
Mineral Point - Burnell C. Rowley, aged 79, of Mineral Point passed away at home on December 20, 2009. He was born July 23, 1930 in Wiota Township, the oldest son of Raymond and Charlotte Rowley. He graduated from Linden High School in 1949. He married Dora Mae Dobson on September 4, 1954 at the United Church of Christ in Mineral Point.
Burnell was many things in his life. He was a farmer, a miner, a road builder, a union carpenter, and an inventor. He taught himself tool and die making and welding. He built sawmills and machinery for his construction companies and playground equipment for his children. An improvement he created for his stone cutter was later patented and is still in use today. The last saw mill he built was almost completely automated. He also built furniture, cabinets, and toys for his children and grandchildren. He built his own house, in which he lived for 55 years. He owned many companies including his own construction company, stone quarry and stone cutting company. He built dozens of quality homes throughout Southwest Wisconsin; he always felt that if you were going to build something you should build it to last forever.
He was insatiably curious and was fascinated by how things worked. He loved to read and devoured books on all kinds of subjects. He owned a large collection of books on WWII aircraft, a particular interest of his. He loved to fly in small planes, but would not get on a commercial aircraft. He loved gadgets and tools and bought one of the first Bobcat skid-steers ever made.
He never met a stranger. He could talk to anyone about anything. He was a good friend and a good neighbor. For years he plowed all the sidewalks and driveways in the neighborhood asking for nothing in return. He was always there to lend a hand with his heavy equipment, his welder, woodworking tools, and expertise.
Because he never had the chance to attend college, he encouraged his children to pursue post-high school education. He was very proud of their accomplishments, and among his six children there are 5 Bachelor's degrees, 2 master's degrees, and several associate degrees.
He dearly loved his wife Dora and was devoted to her. He often said he did not know how he would get along without her. He loved his children and grandchildren. In his youth he was a redhead and several of his grandchildren inherited his coloring.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, his children and grandchildren: Alan (Patti) Rowley and their children, BJ, Angela (Kurt), Christopher, Daniel (Megan), Alana, Andrew and Joshua all of California; Barbara (Steve) Moroney of Kansas City, MO, their son Matt; Marcia (Robert) Kasieta of Verona and their children, Kelly and Caitlyn; Linda Rowley of Mineral Point and her son Mitchell; Karen (Paul) Sabatini of Raymore, MO and their children Francesca and Cassandra; and David (Jody) Rowley and their children Taryn and Michael. He is further survived by one great grandson and his sister Avis Lueck of Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Willard and Rachel Dobson.
A visitation with family and friends will be held on Saturday, December 26, 2009 from 2:00 until 5:00 pm at the GORGEN FUNERAL HOME in Mineral Point. Graveside services will be held in Graceland Cemetery at a later date.
Mineral Point - Burnell C. Rowley, aged 79, of Mineral Point passed away at home on December 20, 2009. He was born July 23, 1930 in Wiota Township, the oldest son of Raymond and Charlotte Rowley. He graduated from Linden High School in 1949. He married Dora Mae Dobson on September 4, 1954 at the United Church of Christ in Mineral Point.
Burnell was many things in his life. He was a farmer, a miner, a road builder, a union carpenter, and an inventor. He taught himself tool and die making and welding. He built sawmills and machinery for his construction companies and playground equipment for his children. An improvement he created for his stone cutter was later patented and is still in use today. The last saw mill he built was almost completely automated. He also built furniture, cabinets, and toys for his children and grandchildren. He built his own house, in which he lived for 55 years. He owned many companies including his own construction company, stone quarry and stone cutting company. He built dozens of quality homes throughout Southwest Wisconsin; he always felt that if you were going to build something you should build it to last forever.
He was insatiably curious and was fascinated by how things worked. He loved to read and devoured books on all kinds of subjects. He owned a large collection of books on WWII aircraft, a particular interest of his. He loved to fly in small planes, but would not get on a commercial aircraft. He loved gadgets and tools and bought one of the first Bobcat skid-steers ever made.
He never met a stranger. He could talk to anyone about anything. He was a good friend and a good neighbor. For years he plowed all the sidewalks and driveways in the neighborhood asking for nothing in return. He was always there to lend a hand with his heavy equipment, his welder, woodworking tools, and expertise.
Because he never had the chance to attend college, he encouraged his children to pursue post-high school education. He was very proud of their accomplishments, and among his six children there are 5 Bachelor's degrees, 2 master's degrees, and several associate degrees.
He dearly loved his wife Dora and was devoted to her. He often said he did not know how he would get along without her. He loved his children and grandchildren. In his youth he was a redhead and several of his grandchildren inherited his coloring.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, his children and grandchildren: Alan (Patti) Rowley and their children, BJ, Angela (Kurt), Christopher, Daniel (Megan), Alana, Andrew and Joshua all of California; Barbara (Steve) Moroney of Kansas City, MO, their son Matt; Marcia (Robert) Kasieta of Verona and their children, Kelly and Caitlyn; Linda Rowley of Mineral Point and her son Mitchell; Karen (Paul) Sabatini of Raymore, MO and their children Francesca and Cassandra; and David (Jody) Rowley and their children Taryn and Michael. He is further survived by one great grandson and his sister Avis Lueck of Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Willard and Rachel Dobson.
A visitation with family and friends will be held on Saturday, December 26, 2009 from 2:00 until 5:00 pm at the GORGEN FUNERAL HOME in Mineral Point. Graveside services will be held in Graceland Cemetery at a later date.
From the Gorgen Funeral Homes website
Mineral Point - Burnell C. Rowley, aged 79, of Mineral Point passed away at home on December 20, 2009. He was born July 23, 1930 in Wiota Township, the oldest son of Raymond and Charlotte Rowley. He graduated from Linden High School in 1949. He married Dora Mae Dobson on September 4, 1954 at the United Church of Christ in Mineral Point.
Burnell was many things in his life. He was a farmer, a miner, a road builder, a union carpenter, and an inventor. He taught himself tool and die making and welding. He built sawmills and machinery for his construction companies and playground equipment for his children. An improvement he created for his stone cutter was later patented and is still in use today. The last saw mill he built was almost completely automated. He also built furniture, cabinets, and toys for his children and grandchildren. He built his own house, in which he lived for 55 years. He owned many companies including his own construction company, stone quarry and stone cutting company. He built dozens of quality homes throughout Southwest Wisconsin; he always felt that if you were going to build something you should build it to last forever.
He was insatiably curious and was fascinated by how things worked. He loved to read and devoured books on all kinds of subjects. He owned a large collection of books on WWII aircraft, a particular interest of his. He loved to fly in small planes, but would not get on a commercial aircraft. He loved gadgets and tools and bought one of the first Bobcat skid-steers ever made.
He never met a stranger. He could talk to anyone about anything. He was a good friend and a good neighbor. For years he plowed all the sidewalks and driveways in the neighborhood asking for nothing in return. He was always there to lend a hand with his heavy equipment, his welder, woodworking tools, and expertise.
Because he never had the chance to attend college, he encouraged his children to pursue post-high school education. He was very proud of their accomplishments, and among his six children there are 5 Bachelor's degrees, 2 master's degrees, and several associate degrees.
He dearly loved his wife Dora and was devoted to her. He often said he did not know how he would get along without her. He loved his children and grandchildren. In his youth he was a redhead and several of his grandchildren inherited his coloring.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, his children and grandchildren: Alan (Patti) Rowley and their children, BJ, Angela (Kurt), Christopher, Daniel (Megan), Alana, Andrew and Joshua all of California; Barbara (Steve) Moroney of Kansas City, MO, their son Matt; Marcia (Robert) Kasieta of Verona and their children, Kelly and Caitlyn; Linda Rowley of Mineral Point and her son Mitchell; Karen (Paul) Sabatini of Raymore, MO and their children Francesca and Cassandra; and David (Jody) Rowley and their children Taryn and Michael. He is further survived by one great grandson and his sister Avis Lueck of Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Willard and Rachel Dobson.
A visitation with family and friends will be held on Saturday, December 26, 2009 from 2:00 until 5:00 pm at the GORGEN FUNERAL HOME in Mineral Point. Graveside services will be held in Graceland Cemetery at a later date.
Mineral Point - Burnell C. Rowley, aged 79, of Mineral Point passed away at home on December 20, 2009. He was born July 23, 1930 in Wiota Township, the oldest son of Raymond and Charlotte Rowley. He graduated from Linden High School in 1949. He married Dora Mae Dobson on September 4, 1954 at the United Church of Christ in Mineral Point.
Burnell was many things in his life. He was a farmer, a miner, a road builder, a union carpenter, and an inventor. He taught himself tool and die making and welding. He built sawmills and machinery for his construction companies and playground equipment for his children. An improvement he created for his stone cutter was later patented and is still in use today. The last saw mill he built was almost completely automated. He also built furniture, cabinets, and toys for his children and grandchildren. He built his own house, in which he lived for 55 years. He owned many companies including his own construction company, stone quarry and stone cutting company. He built dozens of quality homes throughout Southwest Wisconsin; he always felt that if you were going to build something you should build it to last forever.
He was insatiably curious and was fascinated by how things worked. He loved to read and devoured books on all kinds of subjects. He owned a large collection of books on WWII aircraft, a particular interest of his. He loved to fly in small planes, but would not get on a commercial aircraft. He loved gadgets and tools and bought one of the first Bobcat skid-steers ever made.
He never met a stranger. He could talk to anyone about anything. He was a good friend and a good neighbor. For years he plowed all the sidewalks and driveways in the neighborhood asking for nothing in return. He was always there to lend a hand with his heavy equipment, his welder, woodworking tools, and expertise.
Because he never had the chance to attend college, he encouraged his children to pursue post-high school education. He was very proud of their accomplishments, and among his six children there are 5 Bachelor's degrees, 2 master's degrees, and several associate degrees.
He dearly loved his wife Dora and was devoted to her. He often said he did not know how he would get along without her. He loved his children and grandchildren. In his youth he was a redhead and several of his grandchildren inherited his coloring.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, his children and grandchildren: Alan (Patti) Rowley and their children, BJ, Angela (Kurt), Christopher, Daniel (Megan), Alana, Andrew and Joshua all of California; Barbara (Steve) Moroney of Kansas City, MO, their son Matt; Marcia (Robert) Kasieta of Verona and their children, Kelly and Caitlyn; Linda Rowley of Mineral Point and her son Mitchell; Karen (Paul) Sabatini of Raymore, MO and their children Francesca and Cassandra; and David (Jody) Rowley and their children Taryn and Michael. He is further survived by one great grandson and his sister Avis Lueck of Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Willard and Rachel Dobson.
A visitation with family and friends will be held on Saturday, December 26, 2009 from 2:00 until 5:00 pm at the GORGEN FUNERAL HOME in Mineral Point. Graveside services will be held in Graceland Cemetery at a later date.
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