Mary Moore Rowe

Mary Moore Rowe, 100, died peacefully on June 18, 2014, in Peterborough, NH. Born in Henderson, NC, on July 13, 1913, she was the daughter of John Augustus Moore and Mabel Vann Moore. She graduated from St. Catherine's School in 1930 and Sweet Briar College in 1934, and also received a graduate diploma in Piano from the Juilliard School of Music in 1938. In the early 1940s, she taught Music at St. Timothy's School (then in Catonsville, MD). During World War II, she served with the American Red Cross in Chowan County, NC, and in Washington, DC. From 2004 through 2010, well into her nineties, she was the pianist at the Jaffrey Presbyterian Church in Jaffrey, NH. Following her marriage in 1946 to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Carter R. Rowe of Fredericksburg, VA, the couple resided in the greater Boston area. Upon Dr. Rowe's retirement from Massachusetts General Hospital in 1991, they moved back to the Rowe family home in Fredericksburg. They also enjoyed a home in Peterborough, NH, for many years, and Mrs. Rowe returned to Peterborough in 2004 following her husband's death in 2001. During her time in Massachusetts, in addition to raising her three sons, Mrs. Rowe was actively involved in a variety of organizations, offering them her incisive observations and practical, forward-thinking ideas. She served on the Board of Directors of the Roxbury (MA) YMCA for over twenty years, and showed a similar commitment to the New England Conservatory, serving on its Board of Overseers from 1982 onward. She also volunteered with the Ladies Visiting Committee and the flower shop at Massachusetts General Hospital. She and Dr. Rowe were members of The Country Club in Brookline, MA, for many years. In her later years in Virginia, she rekindled her interest in Southern history, serving on the George Washington Fredericksburg Foundation Board, and, with her husband, establishing the Elizabeth Vann Moore Fund in 1998, in honor of her sister's life and work as a historian. In addition, Mrs. Rowe continued her lifelong love of gardening, transforming a long-neglected plot at her home into an exquisite garden. Mrs. Rowe enjoyed lively conversation and was still eager to discuss the economy, the stock market, health care, politics, education, and any number of other topics up until her final days. She was very well-read, was blessed with a remarkable memory for names and faces, and had a keen appreciation for the life of the mind. She also took great interest in the activities and adventures of her four grandchildren. Mrs. Rowe is survived by her sons and their families: Carter R. Rowe Jr., of Peterborough, NH; John A.M. Rowe, his wife, Lauren H. Rowe, and their sons, David and Stuart, of Hamilton, MA; and Dr. Richard W. Rowe, his wife, Jude M. Rowe, and their daughters, Allison and Katherine, of Piedmont, CA. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 28, at 11:00 a.m., at the Jaffrey Presbyterian Church (Cutler Building) in Jaffrey. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New England Conservatory of Music, 290 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115 or Monadnock Music, 2A Concord St., Peterborough, NH 03458. Burial will be in Fredericksburg. VA, on Wednesday, July 2, at 11:00 a.m., in the City Cemetery.

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