Joseph P. “Joe” Rowson, 71, Lincoln, most recently Senior Fellow for the University of Nebraska’s P-16 Initiative, died Thursday, June 9, in his home, of brain cancer. He was the husband of Sandy Rowson, to whom he was married nearly 49 years.
Joe was born February 8, 1940, in Des Moines, IA to Joseph Frederick and Anna Catherine (Swift) Rowson. He graduated from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI in 1962 with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and received his MS in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State University, Ames, IA in 1969.
Joe was commissioned in the United States Navy in 1962 and was honorably discharged in1972 with he rank of Lieutenant-Commander, USNR.
Joe’s career was devoted to providing the public with access to information about our public educational systems. He worked for the Lincoln Public Schools’ Superintendent’s Office of Publications & Information from 1974-1983 and as Assistant to the Superintendent for Communication Services from 1983-1985. In 1985, he moved from K-12 education to Director of Public Affairs for the University of Nebraska. He was Asst. Vice President for External Affairs and Director of Communications for the UN system from 1999-2004 before becoming a Senior Fellow in the Provost’s Office in 2007. There he coordinated the Nebraska P-16 Initiative, a statewide effort to improve academic success for students across all grade levels, geographic locations, and socio-economic classes within the state of Nebraska.
Joe was admitted to the College of Fellows of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2001. He served as National School Public Relations Association’s (NSPRA) national president 1980-1981. He initiated the professional accreditation program for NSPRA in 1999, and received an NSPRA Presidents Award in 2001, which recognizes a career of distinguished service in educational communications.
Joe served on the Lincoln Salvation Army’s Community Advisory Board for 30 years (Secretary, 1980-2010). He was a member of the Lincoln-Lancaster Commission on the Status of Women, the Lincoln Downtown Rotary Club, and was a Professional Advisor for the Public Relations Student Society of America. He was a past president for Lincoln Community Concerts. He was a member of Cathedral of the Risen Christ since moving to Lincoln in 1974.
Family members include wife, Sandy; daughters, sons-in-law: Ann Rowson and Eric Love, Davenport, IA, Elizabeth Rowson and John Zahorjan, Seattle, WA; grandchildren: Abby Love Peters, John-Joseph, Margaret, & Lucian Zahorjan; sister, Mary Manhart, Omaha, NE, and nieces and nephews.
Visitation: 2pm-7:30pm Monday, Roper & Sons Chapel, 4300 “O” St. Family in attendance 5:30-7:30.
Rosary: 7:30pm Monday (6-13-11) Roper & Sons Chapel, 4300 “O” St.
Mass: 10:30am, Tuesday (6-14-11) Cathedral of the Risen Christ, 3500 Sheridan Blvd.
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, 145 S. 40th St. Msgr. Robert Tucker, officiating.
Memorials may be made to the P-16 Initiative, c/o Shannon Malousek, 3835 Holdrege St. Lincoln, NE 68503; Salvation Army, 2625 Potter Street, Lincoln, NE 68503; and Tabitha Hospice, 4720 Randolph St., Lincoln, NE 68510.