Deceased October 12, 2021
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In Memory
David Rowell was a large fellow, a “Townie” whose family members were well integrated by various college jobs into the Amherst College community and who took advantage as a local schoolboy of many advantages that the College offered its students from elsewhere.
I met him freshman year in Morrow dorm and enjoyed his friendly demeanor and early introduction to aspects of Amherst town life. He had a distinctively shaped olive-green 1940’s Chrysler Royale, which, as a Townie, he could use to drive us to Smith College for double dates at a time when other underclassmen could not have cars in town. This car was also notable for the olive-green metal mammoth he had on the driver’s side of the dashboard, in honor of his size and, I should add, of his heart. Dave left the College to join the U.S. Navy in his junior year, returned and graduated in 1965, but chose to remain associated with his buddies of 1960.
After marriage to Jan Fortune (Smith College graduate, whom he met through me), he worked various jobs in Amherst, dealing with promoting the town’s cultural and business communities. When Jan obtained teaching jobs at private women’s schools, Dave accompanied her to Santa Barbara, California; Schenectady, New York; and, ultimately, Las Vegas. In all these places, he readily found jobs in civic and charitable organizations, media sales, real estate, etc., where he always had success dealing with people in his friendly fashion. He also followed his avocations of jazz music, festival organization and production, missing only one Monterey Jazz Festival in 38 years. I last saw him in Las Vegas, where he hosted a weekly FM radio jazz show. Remembering my interests, he drove me through the congested city out to a park with an excellent geological vista.
Dave was an all-around good man.
Phil Heckel ’60