The Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund takes great pleasure in announcing its latest Named Scholarship: The Grace B. Rowe Fund Scholarship. A Named Scholarship is created when a family or individual, in order to honor the memory of a loved one or to recognize an organization, makes a gift of $10,000 or more to the BRSAF.

The donor, Henry C. Rowe, prefers that the award monies from his Grace B. Rowe Fund go to a Boothbay Region High School student “who is keenly interested in religious studies.” Alternatively, the recipient may be one pursuing study in the field of social services (e.g., social work, education or counseling). Should neither of these primary preferences be accommodated, according to Rowe’s request, the BRSAF may select a student-recipient who best exemplifies, “the generosity and caring for others as emphasized in the life of Grace B. Rowe.”

Henry Rowe would greatly welcome additional contributions to the Grace B. Rowe Scholarship. To contribute you may call the BRSAF Treasurer Gerry Homer (207-633-5203) or mail a check to the BRSAF, P.O. Box 293, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

Rowe named this scholarship for his wife, Grace B. Rowe, who died May 25, 2012. Born in 1932, Grace Rowe spent her early life in the city of Chicago. She met her husband Henry, then an enlisted man in the U.S. Navy, at a USO dance, and in 1959 they married. When Rowe joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), they moved to Washington, D.C. During the 1960s and 1970s, as an engineer, he and his family lived abroad, first in London, then Okinawa, Japan, where Grace Rowe found employment with the intelligence agency as an office manager. In the late 1970s, the Rowes moved back to the Washington area, to Annandale, Va., where both continued to work for the CIA.

In 1983, the Rowes retired from the agency and moved to Boothbay, where Grace Rowe became very active in Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Exuberant, caring, full of both energy and love, she founded the church’s folk choir and for 25 years ran its White Elephant Sale. For 20 years she served as a Eucharist minister at the church while also teaching religious education.

A wonderful generous woman, wife, teacher, and friend, Grace Rowe’s whole life of devoted church work, of friendship, reading, and world travel, displayed a deep passion for learning and illumination. This scholarship given in her honor is truly a tribute to her life well lived. The BRSAF is honored to add the Grace B. Rowe Fund to our list of now 44 Named Scholarships. For more information on the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (BRSAF), please see our website at www.boothbayregionstudentaidfund.org.