Milton Road Resident and Fordham Benefactor Passes

John M. (Jack) Rowland, a resident of Milton Road in Rye and a benefactor of Fordham University athletics passed away on Thursday, June 2, 2011.

Fordham released a statement:

""Jack was a great Fordham man who had a tremendous dedication not only to the athletic teams but above all, to the student-athletes at Fordham," said Executive Director of Athletics, Frank McLaughlin. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Carol for her loss."

Rowland enrolled at Fordham in the 1950's after serving in the Navy. Following his graduation from Rose Hill in 1956, Rowland worked as a claims adjuster and attended law school at New York University at night, earning his J.D. in 1962.

Prior to opening his own practice, Rowland worked as an attorney for Seaboard Surety. In his private practice, based in Rye, N.Y., he offered general services with a specialty in surety law, estate planning and real estate law.

Rowland's connections to Fordham run deep. Not only was he a Fordham graduate but he met his wife, Carol, at Fordham and proposed to her at a Fordham-Manhattan basketball game.

Following the death of their son in 1977, Rowland and his wife became involved with Fordham, focusing on the various athletics programs."