Obituaries

VICKI LYNN ROWLAND

On Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Vicki stepped down from the saddle, scraped the mud from her boots, brushed off her faded jeans, fed her horse, and closed the barn doors for the last time – she had just finished her final trail ride. “ONE IS NEARER TO GOD’S HEART ON A HORSE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH”

Vicki Lynn Rowland was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas on February 20, 1951 as the 2nd daughter to the delight of her proud parents Chauncey Clay Kolb and Janet Gray Munro Kolb, and also to the delight of her older sister by years, Sherry, who might not have been so enthusiastic to have a younger sister had Sherry known that in a few years Vicki would be getting 2 horses instead of Sherry getting her first car – and all of you horse people out there know that 2 horses are cheaper to purchase and maintain than a 7-year-old 137 Horse-Power automobile (there is a lot of sarcasm in the start of this obituary – and there may be more).

Vicki and “Bobbo” (not a typo – Vicki knew her husband as “Bobbo” as did the children and grandchildren and family and friends, and that is what she called him – unless she was a little miffed with him and then he was occasionally “Bob-Robert” – and when he was “Bob-Robert” she could not find him – if he was lucky) moved to Lafayette, Louisiana on New Year’s Day 1974 and moved back to Sherman in April 1979. While in Lafayette Vicki always had a job to help with the living expenses, but her last and most gratifying job was as Executive Secretary and Office Manager at an advertising agency. Vicki was always motivated to do her best at whatever job or project she had under-taken. Vicki’s way and the correct way were the same – do it right or don’t do it at all. Vicki, in her younger days, loved to dance to rock and roll. When Bobbo took her to the “dancehalls” for dinner, drinks and dancing he always invited 2 or 3 stag friends to join them, because he was unable to keep-up with Vicki on the dance floor – she would dance to every song the band played – and she loved it.

After moving back to Sherman Vicki casually mentioned to Bobbo that she loved horses and that if he got her just this 1 horse she would never ask for anything again, never ever (read on a couple of paragraph’s and you can see how that worked out). The thing was that she loved animals - and Vicki was an extremely loving and wonderful pet owner – and if there really is reincarnation you would want to come back as one of her pets (except, if you came back as a male you would be “fixed” immediately – I don’t think she laughed at this “fixing” thing, but she may have). Let’s be clear on this, horses were her first love – and Bobbo accepted this (he did not want to get “fixed”). Their ranch-style house is decorated with art and sculptures and various western items. She was an excellent horse person. At one time she gentle-broke and trained a horse for a friend – she did it the right way and the friend rode that horse for several years. “ IF YOU DONE IT – IT AIN’T BRAGGIN’ ”

She was always available to help anyone who asked to nurse and care for an injured horse. And, of course, most importantly in the horse world, “she knew what a BUCK was” (we are not talking about a dollar bill here – just a little private joke amongst her horse buddies). Her favorite saying for someone who crossed her or mistreated an animal was “Eat Sh*t and Die” – on her first horse trailer she had Bobbo stencil “E S and D” on the back of the trailer so when the tailgaters were close enough to read it they should know to back-off. Vicki is survived by her husband of more than 47 years, Robert B. Rowland, whom she married on May 16, 1973; Son Ronnie Brant Rowland and his wife, Tina Sinor Rowland of McKinney, Texas; and Daughter Rhonda Raye Rowland of Hollywood, Florida. Also, Ronnie and Tina’s daughter, Robin Taylor Rowland and her husband, Carter Smith of Richardson, Texas; and Ronnie and Tina’s son, Ronnie Thorne Rowland; also Vicki’s sister, Sherry Burgess, of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Sherry’s children and grandchildren and great grand-children. That completes her family – oh, except over the years there were the 8 cats, 7 dogs, 14 horses, 236 humming-birds, 42 barn swallows and 18 blue-birds (we are not going to count the snakes and skunk families that only visit once or twice a year). I guess you may have figured out that Vicki loved animals.

When Vicki joined a group or just met a friend she would immediately lift the spirits of all with her smile and attitude that made everyone feel better and more special. She would do anything for a friend – and even for just an acquaintance who might need some help. If you were honest and sincere with her you could “pert near” ask her for anything and she would try to make it happen. She always made friends quickly and easily – it was one of her most endearing traits. We began vacationing in the Caribbean in 1986 and loved it. Then we tried Aruba in May of 2003 – and we returned in September of the same year. She was the one that started friendships with those wonderful people we met at the resort. Those friendships have grown in number and include people from much of the United States and from Great Britain. Some of those whom we met in Aruba are literally our closest friends in the world.

“TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS A GIFT FROM GOD” In Lieu of Flowers

If you wish to honor her or just show her family that you cared for her, make a donation of any size to one of the following charities in her memory or make a memorial donation to the charity of your choice:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital • www.stjude.org/donate • Donate by phone: 1-800-805-5856

Denison Animal Welfare Group • Rescue helping to find loving homes for dogs, cats. • P. O. Box 1330, Denison, TX 75021 • Phone: 903-361-4211 • Email: denisonanimals@gmail.com • Website: http://www.denisonanimalwelfaregroup.org/

Memorial Details

A Virtual Memorial via Zoom is planned for: • Saturday December 19, 2020 • Between the hours of 10:30 am- 1:00 pm Central Time Zone (CST/GMT-6).

This is a “Come and Go” as you please event – you may sign in whenever you wish and you may stay as long or as short as you wish – you are not required to be there from start to finish. To participate in the Memorial please follow the instructions below.

1. Go to zoom.us. Then click on "Join a Meeting" in one of the top ribbons. 2. It will then ask for a "Meeting ID or Personal Link Name". Enter the "Meeting ID" that I have supplied to you via Text or Email prior to Saturday, Dec 19. 3. I will send the "Meeting ID" to all that I texted or emailed during Vicki’s illness. 4. If you have not received a "Meeting ID" by Sunday, December 13 please request a "Meeting ID" by emailing me at vickimemorial@gmail.com.

NOTE: Zoom may be used from any device (Windows/Mac laptops and computer or from Apple or Android phones/tablets). You may have a better experience with a larger screen but phones are fine. Steps may vary slightly from those listed above for mobile devices.