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1939-2026
Bessie Rowand, 87, of East Liverpool, formerly of Newell, passed away peacefully, on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. She was born on March 16, 1939, the daughter of the late Arthur and Hester (Bragg) Gillespie. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie Rowand; an infant son, Scott Rowand; three brothers, James, Junie and Lyle Gillespie; and two sisters, Rosie Squiers and Juanita Harper.
Bessie retired from Homer Laughlin. She was a member of the Glendale Church of the Nazarene, where she served as a Sunday School teacher.
She is survived by two sons, Jay Rowand and Robert Rowand; four daughters, Sherry Weekley, Tina Rowand, Ava Rowand, and Eva Dailey; 16 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by four sisters, Delores Matter, Fay Fone, Maxine Mellinger and Linda Pitts; and a brother, Sylvester Gillespie.
Family and friends will be received on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the Nixon Funeral Home of Newell, from 11 a.m. to time of funeral service at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Shadow Lawn Cemetery.
9/21/26