Arlie “Slim” James Rowsey, Jr., 64, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at North Knoxville Medical Center. He was a veteran and passed away due to cancer and other health issued developed by Agent Orange in Vietnam, another soldier lost to war.
Born October 12, 1949 in Quincy, Illinois, Slim was the son of Arlie James Rowsey, Sr. He married Pamela Reid Rowsey on July 19, 1975. They were married for 39 years and had two children. Slim, as everyone knew him, was an accomplished musician, singer and songwriter who performed all over the country and was admired by all he came in contact with. Music was his love and he devoted his entire life to it. He may have never made it to the “big time”, but he was well known all over Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and California. He will truly be missed. He was a gentle, loving, caring husband, father, and friend to all.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arlie J, Sr. and Merle Mae Rowsey; brother, Arthur Joe Rowsey; and nephews, Mike Elliot and Cory Baker. Surviving are his wife Pamela Reid Rowsey, of Knoxville, Tennessee (raised in Huntsville, Alabama); daughter Jody Renee Summers and her husband Jimi, of Knoxville, Tennessee; son, Arlie James “Jamie” Rowsey, III, of Florence, Alabama; sisters Terri Baker and her husband Jim, of Quincy, Illinois, Regina Gentry of Quincy, Illinois, Rebecca Morgan, of Quincy, Illinois, Mary Marc Johnson, of Fort Madison, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
There will be no formal funeral service. Slim’s wish was to be cremated and stay with his wife Pamela. Various musicians will be having memorials in different places and ways. Muscle Shoals will be having a fine Memorial service, with the time and place to be announced. He enjoyed the Shoals area because of the fine and wonderful musicians in that area he dearly loved. The true memorial lives in the hearts of the people who knew and loved him deeply. He was taken too soon but put up a good fight. If you would like details on the upcoming memorials, contact Pamela Rowsey at parowsey@comcast.net or on her facebook page listed as Pamela Reid Rowsey. Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory is honored to serve the family
