Donald Earl Rowe, age 88, passed away at his home on January 28, 2021, with family by his side. He was born March 20, 1932 in Esmond, Illinois to H. Gilbert and Hazel (née Barnes) Rowe. He married his high school sweetheart, Helen Gayle Warner, on April 28, 1951 and is survived by her. He is also survived by his daughter Dr. Donene Rowe of Watertown, son Robert (Laura) Rowe of Oconomowoc, and daughter Nancy (Brian) Langendorf of Benicia, California. He is the loving grandfather of Kevin (Megan) Rowe of Madison and Katherine (Travis) Bischoff of Greenfield, and the loving great-grandfather of Emma and Josephine Rowe of Madison, Ainsley and Charlotte Bischoff of Greenfield, and Page Bischoff of Moorhead, Minnesota. Other survivors include his brother Gene (Marciel Gunderson) of Osseo, sister-in-law Carol Rowe of Belvidere, Illinois, sister-in-law Carol Manes of Mt. Pulaski, Illinois and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Don spent his younger years playing football for Belvidere High School and earned the Huck Award in 1951 for superior sportsmanship, ability and service. He continued to follow college and professional football, and was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, despite living his first 34 years in Illinois. He proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War where he saw combat and was honorably discharged. He returned to his family in Belvidere, Illinois after the war, where he worked for Shappert Engineering. After transferring to Milwaukee as a crane operator on the High Rise Bridge in Milwaukee, he and his family settled in Oconomowoc. He then worked at Jefferson County Farmco (now Insight FS) in Ixonia in the grain department. He retired from FS in 1997 after serving the farmers of Jefferson, Dodge and Waukesha counties for 22 years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather Maynard Schwebke of Osseo, his infant son, his brother Jerry Rowe of Belvidere, Illinois, his sister-in-law Barbara Rowe of Osseo, his sister-in-law Roberta Gray and his brother-in-law Carl Warner (Bee).

A graveside service will be held Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 11:00 am with Pastor Jim Bell officiating at Highland Garden of Memories. 9800 IL-76, Belvidere, Illinois 61008.