Stella Rowan

Stella M. Rowan passed away at her home on June 5, 2024, with her husband of 51 years, Jesse, and her son, Ben, and daughter, Gayla, by her side. She was 71 years old.

Stella was born on July 9, 1952, to Phillip and Juanita Welch of Makanda, Illinois. She married Jesse Rowan, also of Makanda, in April 1973. She is survived by her husband, children, and beloved grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and older brother, Edward L. Oschmann. 

Stella attended Carbondale Community High School and John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois, where she earned an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. A dedicated and compassionate caregiver, she worked as a personal care attendant, home health aide, and Licensed Practical Nurse at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale until her retirement. A lifelong resident of Makanda, she gave back to her community in myriad ways, serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, community organizer, editor of the North Pass News community newsletter, and Village Trustee.

Stella loved traveling, making innumerable trips to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. She rode horseback in the Dominican Republic, ziplined in Costa Rica, and basked in the sun on Yucatan beaches. She was also passionate about monarch butterfly conservation, dedicating countless hours of her retirement years to cultivating her milkweed garden, a registered monarch waystation. Every year she reared monarchs from eggs collected from her garden, ultimately releasing hundreds of healthy monarch butterflies to help preserve the species.

A celebration of Stella’s life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made in Stella’s name to Hospice of Southern Illinois or monarchwatch.org.