Burt Rowe Jr.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Burt H. Rowe Jr., 67, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2004, at his home, of cancer.

He was born April 15, 1937, in St. Louis, son of Burt Hilliard and Phoebe Carrie Schaper Rowe Sr. He and Anne Burgess were married March 25, 1959, in Fort Meyer, Va.

Rowe was chairman and president of First Eldorado Bancshares of Eldorado, Ill., and principal shareholder of the multiple bank holding company. He acquired First State Bank of Eldorado in 1978.

He formerly was president and chairman of Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. in Sikeston and chairman of the Board of Tri-County Bank in Morehouse. He owned and managed agricultural interests in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. He is a national recipient of the Earl Nightingale Human Resources Award.

Rowe was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and was involved in community development. He was a former member of Sikeston Kiwanis Club, and was active in the Republican Party at the county and state level. He also was a member of Southeastern Illinois College Falcon Society.

He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, and was a graduate of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies Graduate School of Insurance Company Management.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Martin Rowe of Harrisburg, Ill.; three daughters, Rachelle Rowe, Marianna Deal and Caroline Rowe, all of St. Louis; two brothers, Parker Rowe of Green Valley, Ariz., David Rowe of Hillsboro, Mo.; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother.

Friends may call at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Michael Blewitt officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.