William Edwin Rowe

The database page for William Edwin Rowe

12 Jun 2006 William "Billy" Rowe was born in Odessa, Texas and raised in the oilfields of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Billy was the third child born to his mother (she had a daughter by her first marriage) and second son of the marriage to Arthur Clayton Rowe of Odessa. There was an additional son born a year after Billy. He attended schools in Odessa, Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico as well as Levelland. His father was killed in an oilfield near Odessa when Billy was in the 2nd grade. After the death of his father, his mother married George Ellis Jeffcoat of Odessa in Levelland, Texas and a sister and brother was born of this marriage. The family moved back to Odessa in the early 60's. Billy was married to Linda Elaine Dunkle of Westminister, California. After being drafted into the Army, he attended the NCOIC school at Harmony Church, Fort Benning, Georgia. He graduated with class 17-68. While in Vietnam, he became a Platoon Sergeant and was promoted to SSG. He was killed near Ben Hoa on March 21, 1968. He was buried in Westminister, California with full military honors. At the time of his death, his mother and older and younger brother as well as his half brother and sister lived in Odessa. His older half sister lived in Arkansas. He is remembered by the Permian Basin Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Midland, Texas. May his sacrifice not be forgotten. From a PBVVM representative, Billy M. Brown 4015 Melody Lane, Odessa, Texas 79762 bmbrown@grandecom.net Former Odessa Soldier Killed - A former Odessa resident, 22 year old Staff Sgt. William E. Rowe was reported killed in action northwest of Saigon on March 21. According to word received from a brother, Clifton Rowe of Odessa, the former Permian High School student was killed while on patrol. Funeral services are planned on Monday in Memorial Funeral Home in Westminister, Calif. with graveside in Remembrance Garden in Westminister. Sgt. Rowe was born in Odessa, May 5, 1946; attended Permian High School and was graduated from Costa Mesa High School in California in 1965. He entered the service in the summer of 1967 and had been in Vietnam since July 16, 1968. He was a member of the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Odessa. In addition to his brother in Odessa, Sgt. Rowe is survived by his wife, Linda of Costa Mesa, California; his mother, Mrs. Audrey Jeffcoat of Anaheim, Calif.; one sister, Mrs. Marie Reynolds of Bridgeport, Texas; another brother, Randy of Anaheim, a half brother and sister, Mark and Patty Jeffcoat, also of Anaheim; his grandmother, Willie Bills of Odessa; and grandfather, Charlie Bills of Rule, Texas. Odessa American, April 6, 1969. Transcribed by Billy M. Brown for Virtual Wall William Edwin Rowe was born in Odessa, Texas and attended schools in Odessa, last attending Odessa Permian High School. His family moved to Costa Mesa, California and he graduated from Costa Mesa High School in 1965. He was buried with full military honors in the Remebrance Garden Cemetery in Westminister, California. Within two years of his death, his immediate family moved back to Odessa, Texas. Odessa American, Odessa, Texas Transcribed by Billy M. Brown for Virtual Wall Photo at top of page is from the Permian High School 1963 annual.

25 May 2007 Bill, we graduated together - CMHS 1965 - and you are truely missed. As a Vietnam Vet, I gave but not as much as you. My tour 66-67 Navy found me putting words together, which I found fitting at that time as well as these times as our men our still serving the greatest country in this world. Listen, can you hear brave men cry and in their eyes see a tear before they die Loved ones daily do they weep and nightly cry themselves to sleep Now gone the Brave at last Remembered only by their past From a friend, classmate, and Vietnam Vet, Dennis M. Ayres 1656 Mathews St. Riverside, Ca. 92507 trooayres@aol.com

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a PBVVM representative, Billy M. Brown 4015 Melody Lane, Odessa, Texas 79762 bmbrown@grandecom.net

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 12 Jun 2006
Last updated 11/16/2007