CAMPBELLSVILLE—Larry Rowell, pastor of Beech Grove Baptist Church near Campbellsville, died Jan. 25 after a brief bout with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.

Rowell was a staff writer and editor of the Casey County News in Liberty and interim editor for the Greensburg Record Herald in Greensburg. He also served as chaplain for the Campbellsville Taylor Country Rescue Squad and served on the Taylor, Adair and Casey County Foster Parent Review Boards.

A two-term trustee of the Western Recorder, Rowell previously was a career missionary with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, having served in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

After returning to the states, he was minister of education at Campbellsville Baptist Church and was a past secretary-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Religious Educator’s Association.

A graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Rowell earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism at Western Kentucky University and criminal justice at Valdosta State College.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Edwina; son, Parker Rowell of Elizabethtown; brother, Tommy Rowell of Moultrie, Ga.; sister, Becky Rowell of St. Simons Island; brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service was held Jan. 28 at Campbellsville Baptist Church. (WR)