Mary Kathryn Minch Rowe, 84, formerly of Monticello, died Wednesday. Sept.28 at 6:59 p.m. in the Otterbein Care Center where she had been a resident since July 1992.

She was the oldest of two daughters of Charles Franklin and Golda Anora Van Voorst Minch. She was born on a Sunday at 6 p.m. on July 3, 1910 in Chalmers at the home of her grandparents, Charles and Mary Jane Row Van Voorst.

She graduated from Chalmers High School in 1928 and attended MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN and graduated from Arthur Jordon School of Music at Butler University, Indianapolis in 1932. After graduation, she studied art with Sister Rufinia at St. Francis High School, Lafayette. For years St: Francis had two college accredited teachers, Sister Agnes for music and Sister Rufinia for art. Sister Rufinia was well-known as. a fine artist and she traveled exten sively to study, exhibit and to visit the great art museums: She was unique, fiercely independent and supremely happy with her life's work. It was one of Mrs. Rowe's greatest joys to have known and worked with this gifted and dedicated nun who came from Germany many years before. While studying with Sister Rufinia, Mrs. Rowe was hired to teach art and music for grades 1 through 9 in Reynolds, Chalmers and Adams Township from the fall of 1932 through the spring of 1934. Mrs. Rowe loved teaching and her students loved the classical music that she introduced to them. It was the heart of the Depression but all of her students were appreciative, talented, well behaved and mannerly.

On June 24, 1934 she and John David Rowe (a native of Otterbein and graduate of Chalmers High School class of 1926) were married in Lafayette by Reverend Harmon in his home. Rev. Harmon was a former minister at the Chalmers Baptist Missionary Cburch.

Mr. and Mrs. Rowe's first home was in Dunkirk, NY, then Olean, NY where their daughter was born, Scranton, PA, and then Canton, OH. Mr. Rowe was associated with S.S. Kresge (K-Mart) from the fall of' 1928 through December, 1938 when he joined Sears, Roebuck and Co. in January. 1939 and they moved to Detroit, MI. In 1944 Mr. Rowe was promoted to Sears Chicago National Office and they raised their family in Elmhurst, IL, a western suburb. In 1972 they moved back to White County.

Mr. Rowe died April 3, 1992. Mrs. Rowe's sister, Charleen Elizabeth (Minch) Morris died April 29, 1980. Surviving are one daughter, Mary Jane (Rowe) Cordill, Elmira, NY; two sons, Lucas John Charles Rowe, Bothell, WA and Machmud David Minch Rowe, Bellingham, WA; five grandchildren, Jeffrey Alan Cordill, Elizabeth Jane Cordill, Emmanuel Peter Rowe, Fidelia Helen Rowe Hamilton Andrew Rowe.

A memorial service was held Tuesday at Hartzler Funeral Home, Brookston, the Rev. Loren Shuman officiated.

Inurnment was Wednesday in Chalmers Community Cemetery.