Wilburn C. Rowden passed away Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, after celebrating 100 years of amazing life filled with unbelievable experiences and adventures.
He was born April 24, 1923, in Maries county, to Ovid and Jessie McKee Rowden.
He married Launa Helton Rowden, Sept. 2, 1945, in St. Louis. To this marriage, they welcomed three daughters Rebecca, Sarah and Paula.
Growing up in a family of six children on a farm near Vienna, Wilburn graduated from high school in 1941. He spent a couple of years working construction jobs at Fort Leonard Wood and at the airport in Vichy.
Wilburn enlisted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and served as a radio operator on a B-17 Flying Fortress flying (The Sleepy Time Gall) with the 8th Air Force, 452nd Bomb Group out of Deopham Green Airfield in England. His plane was shot down on their sixth and final bomb mission on March 8, 1944. He evacuated the aircraft and was wounded by enemy fire which resulted in capture by the Germany military. He was then held as a prisoner of war for 415 days in German prison camps. He was liberated on April 26, 1945 which he recalled as one of the greatest days of his life.
Wilburn was discharged from the service in Nov. 1945 and several months later joined the Missouri National Guard. He retired in April 1983 at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 after having dedicated more than 38 years of his life to the state and our county.
Wilburn was awarded a clustered Purple Heart, clustered Air Medal of Valor, World War II Victory Medal, and POW Medal. He was the first living inductee into the Missouri National Guard Hall of Fame in 2021 and was awarded a Silver Star Banner by the Silver Star Families of America. He flew to Washington, D.C. on one of the first Central Missouri Honor Flights. In 2022 at the young age of 98, Wilburn took his last flight in an open cockpit WWII era Stearman WWII biplane which he thoroughly enjoyed!
Wilburn was a member of the American Legion Post 5, V.F.W., D.A.V. and served as the Commander of the Central Missouri Chapter of American Ex-Prisoners of War and was proud to be honored by the Operation Bugle Boy.
Aside from serving his country he greatly enjoyed hunting, fishing especially at the Lake of the Ozarks, exploring, gardening, woodworking, and carpentry. He contributed staying active and walking as his key to longevity. In his final years, he was a well-loved family member at Valley Park independent living center, which he referred to as “the hotel!”
He was preceded in death by wife of 70 years, Launa Rowden; daughter, Paula (Rowden) Medlin; parents, Ovid and Jessie Rowden; sisters, Dorris Finn, Farris “Jean” Vaughan; and brothers, Herbert and Harold Rowden.
Wilburn is survived by daughters, Rebecca Fredrickson and Sarah (Paul) Miller; grandchildren, Kimberly (Damien) Gose, Scott (Alicia) Weber and Hannah Gonzales; great-grandchildren Nicholas and Kayla Gonzales; step-grandchildren, Aydan and Evin Henry; great-great-granddaughter, Annalise Weber; and sister, Carol Ann Miller.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 17, at Houser-Millard Funeral Directors with Rev. Dr. Jason Abbott officiating.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Central Church of Jefferson City.
