A highly regarded member of the community, Mr. Mervyn Rowe, who was a stalwart in the Boys’ Brigade for many years, passed away peacefully at the South West Acute Hospital on September 10, 2017. 

Late of Clonelly, Kesh, the much loved husband, father and grandfather’s widely attended funeral was held on Wednesday, September 13, at Pettigo Methodist Church, where he had taken a leading role.

Born on July 18, 1943, he was educated at Rossharbour Primary School where his mother was principal.

After attending Methodist College, Belfast, he did a Civil Engineering Degree at Queen’s University, Belfast.

During his 2nd year, his father died in 1962, and Mervyn continued to finish his degree and then spent three years managing the family farm.

In April 1968, he started his first job as a civil engineer at Castle Barracks, Enniskillen.

He married Evelyn, née Abercrombie, in 1968. They moved to Clonelly in 1978 to fulfil Mervyn’s passion for farming.

Until taking early retirement in 1996, he did both engineering and farming. He continued farming, both beef cattle and later started a milk herd.

He was introduced to the B.B. in 1967-68. After Norman Johnston retired as B.B. captain, Mervyn agreed to step in for one year; he continued his service until March 2007 - 38 years in total.

He received the British Empire Medal in March 2014 for both voluntary services in the B.B. and his tireless efforts as chairman for the Forge Centre for community activities in the local Pettigo area.

He was a committee member in ADOPT and later acted as chairman for the Family Resource Centre in Pettigo since its beginning in May 2006.

Mervyn is survived by his wife Evelyn, children David, Jonathan, Mark, Joanna, and Christina, and the wider family circle.

The Funeral Directors were F.G. McFarland and Sons, Kesh.