In Memory

Mike Rowe

Michael Ray Rowe (69) passed away at his home in Usingen, Hessen, Germany on November 11, 2016, surrounded by this wife and friends following a courageous two-year battle with cancer. Mike was born on September 23, 1947, in Seattle, Washington to Nobel Ray and Ruth (deceased) Rowe.

Michael attended several schools growing up in the suburbs of Seattle, graduating from Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood, WA in 1965. After attending college at Manchester Univ. in N. Manchester, IN, Michael transferred to and graduated from the Univ. of Washington in 1970 with a degree in Engineering. After graduation Michael worked as a programmer with the Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences at the Univ. of Washington. He was hired in 1973 by Raytheon for a programming position in Boston that required frequent travel to the far east; being transferred in 1976 to Frankfurt, Germany with Raytheon Data Systems. Michael moved back to Los Angeles in 1979 to work a short time with Lexitron, moving back to Boston in 1982 to work again for Raytheon Data Systems, and back to San Jose, CA in 1984. In 1985 Michael accepted a position from Telenorma Data Systems, later a division of Bosch Telecom and moved back to Germany. Bosch eventually sold the division to a private investor, then to AT&T where Michael supervised a Certification Lab for Avaya rather than developing software. After Avaya had a major restructuring in 2011, Mike retired in 2012 where he continued to consult and develop software products on his own.

 

Michael is survived by his wife of 26 years, Eva Rowe of Usingen, Germany, his father Noble Ray Rowe (Edith), of Frostproof, FL, his mother-in-law Hildegard Funke of Usingen, Germany, his siblings Patricia Harper (Bill) of Mishawaka, IN, and Thomas Rowe (Aracely Silva-Rowe), of Guatemala City, Guatemala; his aunts Esteeher Buchanan of Naples, FL; Mary Huff (John) of Silverdale, WA; and cousins Susan Hopkins (Edker Mathews) of Albuquerque, NM; Janet Hopkins of Arvada, CO; Joanne Hopkins of Paulsbo, WA; Terry Buchanan (Linda) of Sarasota, FL; Jack Buchanan of Manistee, MI; Susan Searer (Floyd) of Elkhart; IN; Kay Buchanan of Staunton, VA; Robert Rowe (Sandy) of Durham, NC; Susan Bartelstone (Martin) of Maple Glen, PA; Carol Rowe of Lyons, IL; and Donald Rowe (Christine) of Westminster, MD; step-brother Michael Bierwerth (Mitsuko) of Usingen, Germany, and step-sister, Susan Klohk of Victoria, Australia; seven nieces and nephews, six God Children and many friends located all over the United States, Europe and the Middle and Far East.

 

 



 
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11/16/16 04:50 PM #1    

Jerry Silvers

It is great loss to all of us in the class of '65 when we lose another classmate. 

Mike you put up a good fight, now you deserve rest and peace.

May you rest in peace, and may your family have peace in their hearts knowing that you are in a better place.

Jerry Silvers


11/22/16 02:50 PM #2    

Fern Rostad (Miller)

It has taken me a while to be able to comment on Mike's passing. I have had a hard time accepting it. The last time I called him in Germany to say hello he was not able to speak to me. Luckily his sister Trish was there and she put the phone on speaker so we could share some memories.

The Rowe's lived down the street from us and we spent a lot of time in each other's houses and yards. Our parents were friends and socialized with each other too. We had neighborhood wide water fights in the summer that were usually started by my mother. Mike's mom, Ruth made the best BBQ chicken I have ever tasted on a rotisserie that Ray had built in the kitchen of their house. How cool was that!

Mike was always my pal, even when the Rowe's moved and I only saw him in school. He was a loyal and caring friend who kept in touch and was genuinely delighted to see you when you reconnected with him. I know I should be relieved for him that he is no longer in pain but I just can't stand the thought of him being gone.

God bless you Michael. Rest in peace my friend.


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