1946
Darrell
2015
Darrell Rowlett
September 29, 1946 — October 4, 2015
R. Darrell Rowlett, 69 of Springville, a former county educator died October 4, 2015, at his home after a four year battle with prostate cancer. Born September 29, 1946, he was the son of the late John and Learlye Lax Rowlett of Buchanan.
His funeral service will be held Friday October 9, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Buchanan United Methodist Church with Latricia Trull and David Alan Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in Bethel Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday at Ridgeway Funeral home from 4 to 7 p.m. and continue on Friday at the Church after 10 a.m. Mr. Rowlett’s grandsons will serve as Pallbearers.
Rowlett is survived by four daughters: Shannon (Jay) Jones of Atlanta, Georgia; Kelly (Mark) Presgrave of Haymarket, Virginia; Mickie (Scott) Carter of Paris and Jessica (Justin) Belschner of Harlingen, Texas. He also leaves ten grandchildren: Sam Jones, Porter, Canon & Marlee Presgrave, Cody & Zachary Casares, Thomas & Noelani Wilkerson, Carlie Carter and Emily Belschner.
He is also survived by two brothers: Dorris W. (Sandy) Rowlett of Buchanan; Morris C. (Marilyn) Rowlett of Indianapolis; and nieces and nephews. A third brother, David is deceased.
A 1964 graduate of Buchanan High School, he earned a B.S. degree in Education from the University of TN at Martin and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Murray State University. From college, Rowlett began work as a teacher/basketball coach at Springville School in 1969 and later worked 2 years as the school's principal, before being promoted to principal of Henry County High School in the fall of 1977, where he served 3 years, before being appointed to the role of Assistant Commissioner in the TN Department of Education by Governor Lamar Alexander.
During college, he also became a writer/columnist whose primary beat was country music. For several years Rowlett's work regularly appeared in such publications as Inside TV, TV Movie Scene, Cinema Scene, and several newspapers. For one year he was country music editor of Hit Parader Magazine.
In 1978, Rowlett was named Henry County's 'Educator of the Year' by the Jaycees and was given the organizations 'Distinguished Service Award ' the following year. Following a term in government, Rowlett became state-wide political director of the TN Republican Party and in 1981 assumed a like role in the late Congressman Robin Beards' unsuccessful attempt at a U.S. Senate seat.
After working in state politics, he managed PBS TV stations in West TN, Washington
D.C., Chicago, and South Texas Broadcast markets. For more than a decade he was a member of the Board of Directors for the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Rowlett will likely be best remembered for writing and producing programs and series that were distributed via satellite to PBS affiliates around the nation, including: "Discover Mexico", "A Taste of Mexico", "Belize: The Caribbean Frontier", and "Mysterious Melungeons".
Rowlett enjoyed researching genealogy, fishing, playing golf, and watching TN Lady Vols’ basketball.
His funeral service will be held Friday October 9, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Buchanan United Methodist Church with Latricia Trull and David Alan Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in Bethel Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday at Ridgeway Funeral home from 4 to 7 p.m. and continue on Friday at the Church after 10 a.m. Mr. Rowlett’s grandsons will serve as Pallbearers.
Rowlett is survived by four daughters: Shannon (Jay) Jones of Atlanta, Georgia; Kelly (Mark) Presgrave of Haymarket, Virginia; Mickie (Scott) Carter of Paris and Jessica (Justin) Belschner of Harlingen, Texas. He also leaves ten grandchildren: Sam Jones, Porter, Canon & Marlee Presgrave, Cody & Zachary Casares, Thomas & Noelani Wilkerson, Carlie Carter and Emily Belschner.
He is also survived by two brothers: Dorris W. (Sandy) Rowlett of Buchanan; Morris C. (Marilyn) Rowlett of Indianapolis; and nieces and nephews. A third brother, David is deceased.
A 1964 graduate of Buchanan High School, he earned a B.S. degree in Education from the University of TN at Martin and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Murray State University. From college, Rowlett began work as a teacher/basketball coach at Springville School in 1969 and later worked 2 years as the school's principal, before being promoted to principal of Henry County High School in the fall of 1977, where he served 3 years, before being appointed to the role of Assistant Commissioner in the TN Department of Education by Governor Lamar Alexander.
During college, he also became a writer/columnist whose primary beat was country music. For several years Rowlett's work regularly appeared in such publications as Inside TV, TV Movie Scene, Cinema Scene, and several newspapers. For one year he was country music editor of Hit Parader Magazine.
In 1978, Rowlett was named Henry County's 'Educator of the Year' by the Jaycees and was given the organizations 'Distinguished Service Award ' the following year. Following a term in government, Rowlett became state-wide political director of the TN Republican Party and in 1981 assumed a like role in the late Congressman Robin Beards' unsuccessful attempt at a U.S. Senate seat.
After working in state politics, he managed PBS TV stations in West TN, Washington
D.C., Chicago, and South Texas Broadcast markets. For more than a decade he was a member of the Board of Directors for the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Rowlett will likely be best remembered for writing and producing programs and series that were distributed via satellite to PBS affiliates around the nation, including: "Discover Mexico", "A Taste of Mexico", "Belize: The Caribbean Frontier", and "Mysterious Melungeons".
Rowlett enjoyed researching genealogy, fishing, playing golf, and watching TN Lady Vols’ basketball.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Darrell Rowlett, please visit our flower store.