In Loving Memory of Barbara Helen Rowland
Barbara Helen Rowland passed away peacefully, immersed in love, on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. She was born on Aug. 22, 1952, in Dayton, Ohio, to Richard and Mary Jane Rowland. She is survived by her beloved daughters, Maude Cuchiara (Michael) and Ruth Baldwin (Colby); her cherished grandchildren, Lucca and Nicco Cuchiara, and Isla and Millie Wright; her loving sisters, Judy Herrick and Jane Rowland; and her former spouse, Keith Baldwin.
Barbara spent her formative years in Virginia and California before attending the University of California, Davis. In 1978, she graduated from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine as one of only 12 women in a class of ’90. After completing her Family Practice Residency in Santa Rosa, Calif., in 1981, Barbara enlisted in the U.S. Indian Health Service, serving as the Medical Director at the Indian Health Service clinic on the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai. In 1989, after moving to Chatham County, North Carolina, she became employed as a family doc by Piedmont Health Services. She went on to serve as Medical Director at Piedmont for 16 years, caring for countless patients and helping to expand services throughout central North Carolina. She was instrumental in establishing Piedmont’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), later serving as its director. Barbara retired in 2009, leaving behind a legacy of compassionate care and leadership.
Barbara had a deep love for the outdoors and found great joy in hiking, camping and backpacking. Her adventures took her from the breathtaking landscapes of Yosemite Valley to the rocky shores of Acadia National Park, and from the lush forests of Olympic National Park to the rugged peaks of Banff. She hiked hundreds of miles along the John Muir Trail in the Sierras, silently collecting “precious” rocks that made her pack heavier with each step. And, she always took the time to pause for a picture of a wildflower, fully immersing herself in journeys that brought her immense happiness, peace, challenge and a deep connection to nature. She had a special talent for looking up at the High Sierra sky and naming countless constellations.
Barbara, you are loved and will be missed dearly. This Peanut M&M is for you. The family will hold a celebration of life on Saturday, March 8, at the North Carolina Botanical Garden to honor Barbara’s memory. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson Association of the Carolinas at parkinsonassociation.org.
