Mary Helen Rowe of San Bernardino, CA, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2019 at Kaiser Hospital, Fontana, CA, following a short period of illness. Born on September 4, 1931 in Ogden Arkansas, Mary moved to California in the 1950s with her husband, who she would later divorce, and ended up in San Bernardino where she made her permanent home. Mary was the Valedictorian of her class at Little River High School in Ashdown, Arkansas and took courses at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. She never gave up on her goal of continuing her education and becoming a teacher to help guide young minds towards higher education. While working full time as a Licensed Vocational Nurse at Patton State Hospital, she went to night classes at California State University, San Bernardino and eventually earned her Bachelor of Arts degree and later, three Master of Arts degrees. She landed her first teaching job in Riverside CA, and later joined the faculty at San Bernardino High School (SBHS) where she served for most of her over 30 years of teaching. She was a beloved teacher who headed up the SBHS chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America and traveled to conferences all over the country with her students. She would often share with her students that “an investment in education yields the greatest dividends” and many of them took that to heart and furthered their education.
Mary had a terrific sense of humor and loved life and laughter and the company of family and friends. She was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and many other organizations, but was first and foremost a dedicated member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in San Bernardino where she was longtime member of the Usher Board.
Mary is survived by her son James Rowe, her sisters Dorothy Stamps and Erma Faye Venable, and her brother Clarence Ray Thurston. She leaves behind nephews Michael Lee, Clifton Lee, Ralph Thurston, and Jay Thurston; along with nieces Marian Bellamy, Monique Dilworth, Juana Lee, Sheila Lee, June Lee and Constance Lee-O’Grady, as well as a host of grandnieces and grandnephews, including grandniece Megan Stamps who lived with Mary. She is preceded in death by her parents Alex and Norvelle Thurston, brothers Alex and Benny Joe Thurston, nieces Peggy Thurston and Wilma Johnson, and nephews Kenny and Stanley Thurston.
Viewing will be held on Monday, March 11th from 4pm to 8pm at Montecito Mortuary, 3520 East Washington Street, Colton, CA, 92324, at the Valley View Chapel. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, March 12th at St. Paul A.M.E. Church at 1355 West 21st Street, San Bernardino, CA, 92411. Another viewing will be held from 9:30am to 10:30am and the Funeral Service will begin at 10:30am.
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