Lee Rowan, a Great Friend of Williamson, Passes Away

Lee Rowan, a significant supporter of Williamson College of the Trades, passed away Wednesday, July 12. She was 99.

President Michael Rounds said, “It is with great sadness that I report the passing of one of the best friends Williamson College of the Trades ever had – Lee Rowan. Lee’s generosity made many of our dreams become reality. Lee supported Williamson because she believed in our mission and all that we are doing here and she wanted to not only strengthen the school, she wanted to be a part of it. Williamson is a much better place because of Lee Rowan. We will miss her greatly and offer our condolences to her family. Please include the Rowan family in your thoughts and prayers.

“I was fortunate to visit Lee in May to celebrate her 99th birthday. I presented her with a birthday card from the power plant instructors and students and a blanket with a photo of ‘her’ power plant and the sign with her name on it. She was very appreciative to receive these gifts because she loved Williamson.”

Lee and her husband Henry Rowan, began supporting Williamson in 2007. The next year, they gave the transformational gift of $20 million along with a $5 million challenge grant. Their support inspired H. FitzGerald and Marguerite Lenfest to also make a $20 million gift to the school in 2008. The combined gifts nearly doubled Williamson’s endowment.

When Henry Rowan passed away on Dec. 9, 2015, Lee continued supporting Williamson on her own, giving a large gift to fund the Energy Island Project and endowing the Power Plant Technology Program. Her gift was so significant that the program was named the Lee Rowan School of Power Plant Technology. She also provided for the renovation of the main administration building, now known as Rowan Hall in her husband’s honor, which included doubling the size of the dining room.

Lee was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is the same school Hank Rowan attended, though they did not know each other at the time. She graduated in 1947 and went on to have a career as an architect.

She spent her summers at Lake George in New York, which is where she and Henry met. He was an avid sailor and she was on the committee for sailboat races.