Quartzsite, AZ Johnny Ray Rowland, Sr. passed away Saturday, March 9, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 74 when he went to his Heavenly home.
There will be a memorial service in Mr. Rowland’s honor Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 3 pm at Brushwood Methodist Church, 6320 Brushwood Drive, Dubberly, LA. Officiating will be his sons, Johnny Ray Rowland, Jr. and Jason Bryan Rowland.
Mr. Rowland was born on September 6, 1949, in Minden, LA to Irvin William (I.W.) Rowland and Allene Cooke Rowland.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, B.F. Rowland and Ola Hood Rowland, and William Richard Cooke and Era Batton Cooke.
Although Mr. Rowland had been a resident of Quartzsite, AZ, he spent the majority of his life living on the family farm in Dubberly. Mr. Rowland was reared in a Christian home where he and his family were members and regular attendees of Brushwood United Methodist Church. While living on the Rowland Farm, Mr. Rowland and his older sister, Kay, enjoyed the peace and tranquility of country living, but also learned to appreciate the value of hard work. Together, they understood the meaning of phrases such as: “cotton pickin’time”, “hay hauling”, “grading eggs”, and “tending to the cows”. Later, Mr. Rowland along with Kay and her husband, George, would become 3rd generation descendants to make the Rowland Farm their home.
Mr. Rowland was a product of the Webster Parish School System as he attended Dubberly High School from grades 1-12. He was valedictorian of the Dubberly High School class of 1967 and earned All-State honors as a member of the Dubberly High School Class C State Championship Basketball Team. In addition to being an outstanding student/athlete, Mr. Rowland was a gifted public speaker as evidenced by his winning multiple speech contests while in high school.
After graduation from high school, Mr. Rowland attended Northeast Louisiana University and Louisiana Tech University, and it was during this time he decided to pursue his passion for singing and entertaining as his career path. A talented singer, Mr. Rowland thoroughly enjoyed performing and recording music across much of the country. However, he also loved the outdoor lifestyle and was an avid gun enthusiast. From this love, Mr. Rowland would create and produce, “The Shootin’ Show” which aired on the Outdoor Channel for several years. Later, he would develop the .460 Rowland, a handgun cartridge that equaled or surpassed the performance of the .44 magnum. Through these pursuits and many others, Mr. Rowland lived a colorful and adventurous life while maintaining a personable disposition and kind spirit.
He is survived by his wife Lori Jakl Rowland of Quartzsite, AZ; children: Johnny Ray Rowland, Jr. and wife Sherri of Dubberly, Jason Bryan Rowland and wife Marla of Benton, Allena Rowland, Zane Rowland, and Annah Rowland all of Quartzsite, AZ; three granddaughters: Madison Rowland of Haughton, Morgan Rowland Hall and husband Gray of Minden, and Rheagan Rowland McMinn and husband Brooks of Benton; 3 great grandchildren: Remi McMinn, Garrison Hall and Allyn McMinn; one sister: Kay Rowland Simolke and husband George of Dubberly; nephew Albert Simolke of Haughton; niece Shelley Simolke Christy and husband Jay of Minden; great nephew Parker Christy and wife Kelly of Minden; great niece Amelia Christy of Shreveport; and cousins: Eneile Cooke Mears, Sue Rowland Grisham, Charlie Mack Rowland, Bill Stahl, Jan Greer Trump, and Dennis Rowland.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Janet Thompson Children’s Ministry at Brushwood Methodist Church.