Rowland Geddie

Rowland Geddie

Tupelo- Rowland Hill Geddie, Jr.

October 17th, 1932 ~ December 26th, 2022.

“Hello, All You Lucky People, The Noble Father is Home!” This was how Rowland would enter the house at the end of the day. Today, he is Home indeed.

It is often said that life is not about the two dates that define one’s birth and death, but about what one does with ‘dash’ between them. In the case of Rowland, what he did was, quite frankly, enough to fill two lifetimes.

Rowland attended the University of Alabama, graduating with a degree in business in 1954. While there he met and married Mary Martha McGaughy in 1953. Together they had four children, Rowland Hill Geddie, III (Peggy), Ginger Geddie Roark (Steve), Martha Leanne Geddie Ward (Darrell), and Norton Brown McGaughy Geddie (Tammy).

From 1954 until 1956 he served in the U.S. Army at Fort Lee in Virginia and Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia as a Lieutenant.

After his service, he started his first career when he moved back to Martha’s hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi in 1957. There Rowland ran her family’s store, McGaughy’s until 1976 and then enrolled at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

In 1978, he graduated with a Juris Doctorate in the same class as his son, Rowland H. Geddie, III. His law career began as a solo practitioner, where he worked cases of various types but developed a focus in criminal defense.

In 1981, he found his true calling when he began his career with the Office of the District Attorney for the First District of Mississippi working under District Attorney Johnny Young. He prosecuted thousands of criminal cases over his 25 years in that office until his retirement in 2006. He reveled in being in front of jury and the opportunity to allow what he referred to as “Truth, Justice, and the American Way to once again triumph over the forces of Evil and Darkness.”

He liked nothing better than to try a difficult case in which he worked in opposition to a talented defense attorney. He believed in the adversarial criminal system and the ability of a jury to bring forth the correct answer when given the evidence and argument from two competent attorneys faced-off against one another.

He believed that the courtroom was the last best opportunity for the victim’s voice to be heard and for justice to be done and that he was the voice for that victim.
After the untimely death of his first wife, Martha in 1982, Rowland met June Sawyer Hamilton, and, after a long-distance courtship between Tupelo and Tucson, Arizona, they married on December 12, 1987. Through this marriage Rowland got the opportunity to begin his second life as a parent. June brought to the family three daughters; Jennifer Hamilton Lee (Derek), Molly Allison Hamilton, and April Zilpha Hamilton. Rowland loved his family dearly and was an involved stepfather to the new family members.

In between raising two families, having two careers, and having two loving marriages lasting 29 years and 35 years, respectively, Rowland found time to be what he liked to call a “known messer,” who by his own definition was a person with an expansive variety of interests and hobbies.

During his two lifetimes Rowland was: an avid photographer, working with the local photography club; a pilot, achieving an instrument and commercial rating in the early 1970s; did a lot of “messing around in boats”, teaching many in Lee county how to water ski; an avid scuba diver; a lifelong CB and ham radio enthusiast, building many of his radios himself; an actor in community theater; an avid motorcyclist; a gun enthusiast, both shooting and reloading; a hunter; a fisherman; a canoeist; a camper; a water skier; and for a time, part-owner of a parasail which was flown behind both his ski boat and his Pontiac station wagon.

In addition to his career in the District Attorney’s Office Rowland served his community in numerous volunteer roles including: Cub Scout Pack Master, Rotarian, serving as President of the Rotary Club of Tupelo; Mock Trial Judge for Tupelo High School; as a founding member of Tupelo Community Theater; and as the president of the Mississippi Merchants’ Association.

Rowland is survived by his loving wife, June; his children, Rowland, Ginger, Leanne, Norton, Jenny, Molly, and April; 16 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

If there is one unifying theme throughout the two lifetimes Rowland led it was that he did what he knew, he played, he taught, and he never stopped trying to learn everything he could.

He parented two families, but he also parented the many other children that came through his home in Sharon Hills. If there is anything to be learned from the way he lived, we believe it is as follows: Real learning is indistinguishable from play, adventure is 90% mental 10% where you are going, there are rules, but there is forgiveness, but, the most important lesson is that there are kids who need you. Maybe they are yours, maybe they aren’t. Maybe they live with you, maybe not. Maybe they have a father, maybe they don’t. Maybe they are with you for life, maybe for a season. But for whatever reason and for however long, they need someone. And, if they come to you, you have the opportunity to give them the greatest gift you have to offer, yourself.

Rest at Home, Noble Father, and may we all be generous with our gift.

Visitation will be 4 until 7 p.m. Thursday, December 29, 2022, at Pegues, Tupelo. Visitation will continue 10 a.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, until service time at Pegues, Tupelo.

Services will be 12 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, at Pegues Funeral Directors, 535 West Jefferson St., Tupelo, Mississippi with Rev. Terry Garrett officiating.

Pallbearers will be Rowland Geddie, III, Norton Geddie, Steve Roark, Darrell Ward, Derrick Lee, and Clark Geddie. Dan Geddie and Harold Hudson will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to King's Gate Worship Center, 2018 West Jackson Street, Tupelo, MS 38801.

Expressions of sympathy and fond memories may be made at www.peguesfuneralhome.com .