James Rowe

Jim was born in Jacksonville, Illinois to William Mason Thomas and Helen Frances Coultas Rowe on August 6, 1928. He was the second youngest of six siblings, all of whom preceded him in death. The family moved to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas in the 1930’s, ultimately settling in McAllen where the siblings graduated from McAllen High School, as did Jim’s future wife, Mimanell Parry.

Jim was an athlete and a scholar, playing football in high school and while in college at Southwestern University and University of Texas at Austin. He continued to enjoy athletics throughout his life: biking, running, skiing, and tennis with friends and family.

Jim joined the US Army in 1948 and remained a proud member of the military, both Active Army, Army Reserve, and retired military for the rest of his life – retiring as a Colonel in the Army Reserve.

After leaving active-duty, Jim attended the University of Denver and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and a membership in Tau Beta Pi in 1954. He began his life’s work as an engineer with the Boeing Airplane Company in Wichita, Kansas and followed that assignment with work for the Bureau of Reclamation and the Martin Company in Denver. It was in the early 1960’s when Jim joined North American Aviation in Downey, California and found the aerospace work that would keep him excited and engaged for the rest of his career as a structural engineer, coming full circle by ending his career decades later as a Principal Engineering Specialist in Structures for Boeing. During his aerospace years in Downey, Jim worked on thermal protection systems for both the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

Jim was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Mimanell, in February 2021. He is survived by his daughter, Janel, his grandson Nate, granddaughter-in-law Alexandria, great-grandson James, and many friends and extended family. He was truly a “fantastic” gentleman and will be sorely missed.

Jim will be laid to rest beside Mimanell at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado on May 12 at 2:30pm. His life will be celebrated by his friends and family on May 20 at 11am in the Celebration Church at 555 E. Memory Lane, Santa Ana, California.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following:

Columbia Memorial Space Center at www.columbiaspacescience.org

Military Warriors Support Foundation at www.militarywarriors.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.fairhavenmemorial.com for the Rowe family.