Ken Rowe, B.D.

Class of 
1962
Denomination: 
Methodist, United

Ken Rowe writes, “I am one of the lost sheep of the class of ’62—never attended reunions, never returned to the quad, think I never posted news in alum notes through the years. The time has come to proclaim myself alive and well and living in coastal North Carolina with my husband James. Yes, Ken is/always was gay. Divorced in the late ‘70s, partnered in early 80s, we have two daughters, one son-in-law and one grandson in college. When marriage equality arrived in NC in Nov. 2014 James and I were finally married and very publicly, the first couple to do so in our coastal city. I retired after 35 years as Prof. of Modern Church History and Methodist Research Librarian at Drew University Theological School, then adjuncted for six years teaching United Methodist studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. Several of my scholarly publications have been co-authored with dear colleagues, Profs. Russell Richey (Drew then Duke and Candler) and Jean Miller Schmidt (Drew undergrad, then SMU and then Iliff ) the most important of which are The Methodist Experience of America in two volumes, narrative and sourcebook, 2000-2010, along with American Methodism, A Compact History, designed for Methodist seminarians by the same trio, 2012. One other achievement of which I am most proud is the Methodist Archives and History Center at Drew. The Center (my idea) is a partnership of the university library with the General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church. The Center opened in a state-of-the art building in1982/ refurbished 2014-15, and has become one of global Methodism’s most important research collections. Husband James spent most of his career in IT at law firms first in New York City and then Philadelphia. In 1990s I re-connected with two YDS alums, Frank Dent of our class and James McGraw, class of 61, gathering at least twice a year in New York City area for food, drink and good talk. Sadly Jim died two years ago. Frank and I continue to meet from time to time.”