OCEAN SPRINGS - Pamela Gail Rowlands, 81, of Omaha passed away on Wednesday, July 3 at the Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Pam was born in Omaha, Nebraska on Mar. 22, 1943, to Leonard and Leona (Harding) Rushing. Pam graduated from Central High School, Omaha in 1961 and started her first job at Armor meat packing plant, as an administrative assistant. In 1966, Pam graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in Education and in 1990 earned her Master of Education at William Carey College. Pam started her career in the Omaha public school system where she taught for her first 2 years post graduation.
Pam moved to Alexandria, Louisiana where she had the first of two beloved sons, Stephan Leonard Rowlands (1970), and then to Savanna, Georgia (1973) where she had John Michael Rowlands. Pam and her sons moved to Ft Walton Beach, Florida, and in 1979, moved to their home in Ocean Springs, Mississippi where she fell in love with the community and homesteaded for the remainder of her life. An ever devoted Mom, Pam stayed home with Steve and Michael, until Mike started elementary school.
Pam, a pillar in the Jackson County school system, taught for 32 years, starting at St. Martin Elementary school (second, third, and fifth grades), finding her favorite grade and subject to teach, sixth grade English, where she transitioned to St. Martin Middle school. Pam retired in 2011 but was hand-selected to come back out of retirement to student tutor. Post retirement, Pam continued tutoring for another 4 years. Pam loved her students and her love was reciprocated. Pam taught multiple generations of students, following her student's lives long after they graduated. Pam regularly told her family about running into her former students at the local stores, and it brought her happiness to see how they were doing. In all, Pam taught for 34 years, improving the education and lives of thousands.
Pam left an enduring mark on so many. Her love and devotion to her family reigned supreme. Upon the loss of her oldest son, Stephen, Pam helped care for her first grandson, William (Mobile, AL) from the time he was six years old. Of William, she also watched over her great-granddaughters, Destiny and Stephanie.
Pam also spent most summers with her grandchildren of Mike as they grew up moving to multiple Air Force Bases; Lukas (Missoula, MT), Nikalas (Bozeman, MT), Lyndsay (Bozeman, MT), and Haley (Lorton, VA). No distance was too far for her to contribute a helping hand, always putting others' needs before her own.
Pam's son, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and many friends will miss her endless stories, warm hugs, and cooking, including her "unable to duplicate" cookies and brownies.
Pam is survived by her son: Mike (Lara) of Virginia, daughter-in-law (Kim) of Alabama, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and her companion Gizzmo. Pam is preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Leona Rushing, her sister, Linda Rushing, and her son, Stephen.
March 22, 1943 — July 3, 2024
am will be laid to rest, next to her son in the Mobile Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
