Charles William Rowland

Charles William Rowland, aged 91, passed away on February 19, 2026. Born on April 8, 1934, to William Vincent and Wilma Angeline (Roberson) Rowland. Charles was barely 8 years old when his father died, leaving his mother and 6 siblings to run the family farm. He helped milk cows, feed the livestock and maintain the farm machinery throughout his school years.

Charles served in the United States Army and was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany where he met his wife, Klara. They shared 62 years of marriage before her death on December 18, 2019.

When Charles and Klara returned from Germany, he completed his associate's degree at Hutchinson Junior College and went on to Kansas State University, where he earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering. After college, Charles and Klara and their three girls settled down in Hutchinson, Kansas. In 1965, the family moved too Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he went to work for the Us space program, specifically on the Apollo missions and the Lunar Lander. As the Apollo missions were winding down, Charles shifted his focus from the space program to nuclear energy. He also found time to obtain his MBA from the University of North Florida. He and Klara moved to Bay City, Texas, in 1985, where he worked at the nuclear power plant, eventually retiring in 1999.

Charles is survived by daughters, Ellen Feingold and Patricia Henry of Sugar Land, Texas; Gabriele Neigel (Roger) of Seattle, Washington; youngest brother, Clyde Rowland of Hutchinson, Kansas; grandchildren, Nathan, Michelle, and Julie; great-grandchildren, Isabel, Gabriel, Summer, Skye, and Zach.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Howard Rowland; sisters, Ruth Hoffman, Marjorie Ensz and Emily Dell.

Per Charles' wishes, no memorial service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Salvation Army or the charity of your choice.