When Rowena asked me to do her final message to family and friends, she said "I don't want anything flowery or mushy". The time has come to fulfill her final wish. Rowena passed into the hands of God, Wednesday, September 2, 2020 following a battle with cancer. Since flowery was not to be and merely statistical not sufficient, we will feature the light instead.

Rowena Pearl Coon was born on December 28, 1931 in Davis Corners, Wisconsin, the daughter of Warren and Emma (Nehring) Coon. She was the 6 ^th of 9 children born to this union. Her birth brought new light to a family devastated by the death of the only girl, Helen Amber, born 2 years earlier, due to spinal meningitis. Rowena brought back light and laughter to everyone who knew her and the light continued to shine throughout her life.

She attended grade school at the Graham School in Adams County. She then attended Oxford High School, graduating in 1950. While in high school she was chosen to be one of the school's cheerleaders, an activity she loved. During the summer months she worked for the Quick Service Laundry and then for Tillie Newell at the Dells Grill. Her big summer fun activity was roller skating at the Lake Delton Roller Rink.

After graduation she moved to Milwaukee for employment. She met and married Maynard Anderson in 1952. After Maynard's airborne tour duty they made their home in Milwaukee. 4 beautiful children, Kenneth Kathy, Karla and Keith were born to grace this marriage. The marriage ended leaving Rowena as a single mom with 4 children to care for. The marriage was officially dissolved in 1960. There must have been a lot of tears, but her light, though it seemed dimmed, never went out. The kids were her life and she never let them down.

In 1960, she met Arthur Kimball, a wonderful man who had suffered the loss of his wife and a newborn baby, leaving him as a single dad with 4 young children of his own; Margaret, Daniel, Mary, and Debbie to care for. Art and Rowena fell in love and were married at the United Presbyterian Church in Wisconsin Dells on February 25, 1961. The family of 4 was now a family of 8. Art and Rowena were blessed with 2 little girls, Lisa and Becky, raising the family to 10. Art legally adopted Ken, Kathy, Karla, and Keith welding the family together forever.

JUST THINK!! Can you imagine the joy and chaos on Christmas Eve and morning with 10 kids excitedly opening Christmas gifts and enjoying family time together?

As the kids grew older she became a desk clerk at what was then the Uphoff's Hotel and Restaurant in Lake Delton. Some time after the Uphoff's was sold, Art accepted a position at the Heidel House in Green Lake and Rowena became a desk clerk at that prominent establishment. Later a move to Florida left them with a desire to return to home and family in Wisconsin. Upon returning to Wisconsin, Rowena was employed by Holiday Wholesale until her retirement. Still feeling the desire to be useful, she volunteered at the Community Action Food Pantry until health issues made it impossible to continue.

Not a great "joiner" but always a great "helper" she never turned anyone away. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in the Dells and was very faithful in her attendance. Her legacy will be the remembering of her love and courage and the knowledge that the children she and Art parented will carry on these attributes to future generations.

Rowena was predeceased by her loving husband, Art, 5 brothers, Harold, Lawrence "Tezzie", Walter "Bill", Charles "Chuck", Robert "Bob" Coon and baby sisters Helen and Mamie.

She is survived by her children, Margaret Buckingham; Kenneth (Mary) Kimball, Daniel Kimball (Nancy), Kathy (John) Bandow, Mary Pagel, Karla Blatchley (Arps), Debra (Jan) Van Oppen, Keith Kimball (Sherri), Lisa (Craig) Yedinak and Becky (James) Senzig. She was honored to have 23 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She is further survived by her sister, Frances "Frankie" Trojan, sisters-in-law, Angie Coon and Carolyn Coon, many nieces and nephews and a host of friends. And there is a little rescue chihuahua named Chico who never left her side and will miss her dearly.

To all who have loved her, when you look at the sky and see a beautiful cloud highlighted by gold or silver, it will be Rowena's light watching over you.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wisconsin Dells Community Action Food Pantry or the Wisconsin Dells Presbyterian Church.

A Memorial Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 12:00 Noon at the United Presbyterian Church in Wisconsin Dells for immediate family and close friends. There will be a Celebration of Life following the service at 1613 Valley Drive in Wisconsin Dells, for anyone who wishes to attend.

Please follow Covid rules.