Florence Marcile (Rowe) Jarchow

October 20, 2019

Flo attended Mohall High School in Mohall, North Dakota, and met Al Jarchow during those high school years. In April 1963, they were married. After their two sons Ken and Steve were born, Al and Flo moved to Pendleton, Indiana, where Al worked at Ft. Benjamin Harrison and Flo became Personnel Manager for K-Mart in the Indianapolis area. Upon Al’s retirement in 1999, the couple made their final move to Richland, where Flo’s elderly parents lived. Flo served as Office Manager for her brother Jim at Metric Mechanic in Richland from 1999-2008. She and Al joined Richland United Methodist Church, where Flo became very active in the life of the church serving in several positions of leadership including administrative council chair, lay leader and PPR Chair. She was also a faithful church choir member. When Al passed away in 2004, Flo began another chapter in her life, filling it with helping others, with travel, with family and friends. She continued to work with Empowering Women, giving the gift of her time and talent to those who needed it most. She inspired a life of prayer in others, became the spiritual beacon for many in the community who were searching for something more than Sunday morning worship, and showed the love of Jesus Christ to all who crossed her path. Some people take long walks, do yoga or gardening, listen to music, paint landscapes. They need time and space to just be human beings at rest. Our friend Flo sound her inner peace in a different way—in the scriptures and in her pen. She was a journal-keeper of the first magnitude. In her lovely handwriting, she penned hundreds of pages expressing her thoughts on everything from the wonders of a bubbling creek to how to shed hurtful feelings and experience joy. Her fondest wish these last few years was to have joy in her life every single day. The irony must be that she found her joy came from giving the gift away to others. To be in her presence brought flashes of wisdom and deep spiritual understanding, but it also brought tears of laughter over her famous one-liners and clever jabs. She loved to have fun, to travel, to be with her family, and to share life and the love of God with everyone she met. Her journal time helped her find the strength to accomplish what she felt God needed her to do. Flo’s journals are best described as prayers of thanksgiving. If she taught us one thing, it was to wake up every day with gratitude for the things God has planned. Even when we dread events looming that day, we thank God. Life’s challenges help us to appreciate the good times, and often what seems to be a curse turns out to be a blessing. Flo believed that we have a loving God who deserves our thanks, and for Flo, that meant writing it down on paper. She dept gratitude journals to constantly remind herself that everything comes from God is good and true and full of joy. The same can be said of Flo, God’s good and faithful servant. She is likely sitting next to God at this moment, asking for a notebook and pen so that she can properly express her gratitude for the life she was given. A quote from one of Flo’s journals states, “Every time I see your favor and extreme goodness, it amazes me. I should be used to seeing how completely and quickly you bring about favor and show loving kindness, but I’m always surprised. Thank you, Lord. You think of everything! Amen.” Flo is survived by her children Steven Jarchow (Kristen) and Kenneth Jarchow (Terri); two sisters, Grace Sharbone and Evelyn Nelson (Don), two brothers, David Rowe (Sue) and Jim Rowe (Mary); nine grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren; six nephews and three nieces, all of whom she counted as her greatest legacy. Services were held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 23, 2019 in the Richland United Methodist Church with Rev. Mitch Henson officiating. The congregation sang “My Hope Is Built” and “Joy to the World.” Rev. Mitch played his guitar as he sang the song, “Well Done.” Scripture readings came from Psalm 116: 7-9, 12-16. Interment will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery at a later date. Services were under the care and direction of Memorial Chapel of Richland. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions in memory of Flo Jarchow to Better Lives Today. Your memorial contributions may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences can be sent at www.memorialchapelsandcrematory.com.