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Life story

" Keith Rowand, 61, of Washington, VA died on January 12, 2024 of
glioblastoma (brain cancer).

Keith was born at Fort Dix, NJ, in 1963, of Samuel Rowand and Mabel
Rowand (nee Sulzman). He grew up in Medford, NJ. An active boy scout
with NJ Troup 26 he attained the rare distinction of Eagle Scout; he
played baseball & soccer; ran track, and enjoyed coaching soccer. After
graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1985, he served
at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Barstow, CA. (And
retained an intense dislike for dust for the rest of his life.).
Following an honorable discharge, he moved back to the East Coast and
worked in the Washington DC area in IT government contracting, then
litigation support directly for several large DC law firms as well as
for service bureaus. He & his wife Sylvie moved to Washington, VA in
Rappahannock County in 2005 after living in Herndon, and the City of
Falls Church. Keith continued to work remotely in litigation support for
a few years, while co-establishing their homestead, helping to grow
their catering business, and developing the Laughing Duck apiary. Once
he left the corporate world, he focused on raising healthy local
honeybees with minimal chemical inputs; producing sought-after
‘Rappahannock Arboreal’ honey; and being a contract beekeeper for local
entities such as The Inn at Little Washington and RdV vineyards. He
served his community by being a volunteer driver then a fire fighter
with Washington Volunteer Fire & Rescue, and later joined Sperryville
Volunteer Rescue. He also volunteered as a wildland firefighter with the
Virginia Department of Forestry. He helped For The Cats’ Sake in Flint
Hill.

His friends speak of his wit, kindness, openness, smile, wicked sense of
humor, intelligence, and wide range of interests; they rallied around
him once his illness was diagnosed.

He was preceded in death by his father, his younger brother Christopher,
and his mother.He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Sylvie.

No flowers, please. In Memoriam donations may be made to For The Cats’
Sake (Flint Hill, VA); Sperryville Volunteer Rescue Company; Hospice of
the Piedmont (or a hospice of your choice); or Rappahannock League for
Environmental Protection.

A memorial/celebration of life gathering will be held at a later time."