Ronald Hofer Rowland died July 31, 2012 at his summer home on Swan’s Island, Maine. He was the only child of the Rev. Ronald Hubert Rowland and Esther Hofer Rowland. He was born in Wellington, England, May 23, 1932 and came with his parents to the United States at the age of six weeks. His high school years began when he left the Cathedral of St. John choir school to join his parents in Geneva, Switzerland, and were completed at Morristown Prep two years later when they returned to the States. He received a BS in chemistry at Trinity College, Hartford, and a second BS from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service after he spent two years in the U.S. Army. He also received a MS from the University of Kansas in Environmental science.

He married Evelyn St. Croix Scofield in 1961. He is survived by her and their three sons and families: William, a foreign service officer, his wife, Claudia and daughters, Elizabeth and Victoria; Thomas and his wife, Colleen and sons, Benjamin and Alexander and daughter, Katherine of Atlanta; and Joel and his wife, Shobhan and sons, Kagan and Kiran of Santa Fe, N.M.

His career covered many areas; his longest stints were at Davison Chemical Div. of WR Grace and White Pigment Co. His last full-time employment was running the lab at PC Boards in Chanute, Kansas. He was code enforcement officer and licensed plumbing inspector for the Town of Swan’s Island in his retirement.

He enjoyed flying small planes, he was active in the Lions Club for a number of years, he was a Boy Scout Leader and belonged to the Order of the Arrow and Wood Badge. Since moving to Madison, for the winters starting in 2007, he enjoyed volunteering at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

His final wishes were to be cremated. There will be a Memorial Service in Madison in mid-November and his ashes will be interred on Swan’s Island. Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

Printed in the August 9, 2012