C. Bryan Rowell

C. Bryan Rowell reached the end of his earthly service at the age of 97 on 6 March 2021 at the Lexington Community Hospice House Agape Care. Bryan was a WWII US Navy enlisted combat veteran with the rating of Coxswain.

Clarence Bryan Rowell was born on 31 October 1923 in Horry County, South Carolina to his parents, Lamar and Janie Rowell. Bryan enlisted in the US Navy in September 1942 to serve our country in time of need, leaving the difficult life of a tobacco sharecropper.

After boot camp in Norfolk VA, he received Submarine Chaser Training in Miami FL and then transferred to Mare Island, CA where he joined the crew of DE-18 USS Gilmore performing escort duty in San Francisco and the Aleutian Islands. He was then transferred to DM-32 USS Lindsey. Training in Hawaii and Ulithi led to combat in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa where on 12 April 1945 Lindsey was hit and severely damaged by two kamikaze planes. USS Lindsey survived that attack and by the grace of God Bryan's life was narrowly spared. This ended wartime service for Bryan and the USS Lindsey.

After the war Bryan married Betty Caroline Fort in McClellanville, SC and was employed by Van Smith building material company in Charleston, SC. While residents of Sullivan's Island, Bryan purchased a small business called Rowell's Variety Store. In keeping with his entrepreneurial spirit, Bryan left Van Smith and started Montgomery and Rowell building material business with his partner Ned Montgomery. His business model throughout his career was service to the community.

Bryan was a man of excellent character and epitomized the meaning of integrity and Godly leadership in all areas of his life. He was a community leader as a Township Commissioner of Sullivan's Island 1963-1975, including one term as Chairman of the Township Commission, and a faithful deacon at Sullivan's Island Baptist Church since the early 1950's.

Bryan's daughter, Linda Zorn, missionary to Jamaica, predeceased him, as well as his sister, Margaret Liddle of Myrtle Beach, and brother, Charlie Rowell of Columbia. Surviving him are his wife, Betty Rowell; son-in-law, Bill Zorn of Phoenix, AZ; sons, Jennings (Debbie) of Lexington and David (Renee) of Elgin; and daughter, Caroline Miller (Mike) of Athens, Greece. Surviving grandchildren are Christopher Zorn (Danielle) of Alameda, CA, Nathan Zorn (Kally) of Charleston, Shelli Powell (Guian) of Phoenix, AZ, Kristen Davis (Stephen) of Gilbert, Lauren Rowell of Lexington, Micah Rowell (Katie) of Austin, TX, Daniel Rowell (Claire) of Columbia, Silas Miller of Columbia, Jared Miller of Charleston, and Ella Miller of Athens, Greece; and four great-grandchildren. Surviving siblings are Elizabeth Mincey of Nichols, Ernest Laverne Rowell of Baltimore, MD, Hubert Rowell (Jeannine) of Matthews, NC, and John Keats Rowell (Elizabeth) of Florence.

Bryan will be greatly missed by his family and community. With his last breaths, he gave us a charge to continue declaring the glory of Jesus Christ on the earth until He returns. His family intends to fulfill that charge as we move forward in the legacy he has left us.
Bryan is now with Jesus, sails hoisted on the seas of Heaven.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Gideons International in memory of Bryan Rowell by mail at P.O. Box 791, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465 or online at www.sendtheword.org.

Visitation will be held at J. Henry Stuhr Mt. Pleasant Chapel, 1494 Mathis Ferry Road on Friday, 19 March 2021 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
There will be a private memorial service, Saturday, 20 March 2021 at 10:30 am which may be viewed via livestream at https://youtu.be/25iDN13V2No.

The family would like to thank Dr. Rose Arapostathis, the entire Dorn VA Medical Center staff and the staff of the Lexington Community Hospice House Agape Care for the compassion and care given to Bryan and the family as they navigated this difficult time.