Roger Allen Rowehl

October 17, 1933 – November 19, 2024

Roger Allen Rowehl breathed his last breath at David Simpson Hospice House (Hospice of the Western Reserve) on Tuesday morning, November 19, 2024, with his eldest daughter, Wendy, at his side. Roger’s death was peaceful, and without a doubt his beloved bride and partner in life for more than 66 years, Anne, embraced him as he entered heaven. Marking this blessed reunion, a beautiful rainbow appeared on Lake Erie’s shoreline above Hospice House just after Roger’s passing.

Born on October 17, 1933, during the Great Depression, in East Meadow, New York, Roger was the youngest of five children born to Grace (Wetterau) and Edward Carl Rowehl. His family farm raised primarily Irish potatoes, red radishes, beets, scallions, carrots, and head lettuce. Roger’s dad worked 365 days a year, only “vacationing” to attend agricultural shows and learn better ways to raise crops. His mom was by his side as a stay-at-home mom in his early years and later worked full-time as an elementary teacher.

Roger loved sports, excelling in football at Hempstead High School. Indeed, sports of all kinds were his chief passion, especially his New York Giants in the NFL (last Super Bowl championship in 2012 against the New England Patriots) and San Francisco Giants in the National Baseball League, West Division (the New York Giants when Roger became a fan as a young man, moving west in 1958).

Following high school, Roger enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served for five years (1952 – 1957). According to family lore, when visiting a local swimming hole near where he was stationed outside of Albany, Georgia, Roger won a coin toss with a fellow Marine and thereby got to ask (Matilda) Anne Milward out on a date. The date was accepted with the condition that he meet Anne at her Baptist Church social function. In many respects a classic “opposites attract” pair, the two were married on December 31, 1957, in Port Chester, New York.

Early in their marriage, Roger worked on the family farm while taking classes at Hofstra College in Hempstead, New York. His father, the healthiest of the four parents, died of a massive stroke on Christmas evening, 1960. Over the next two years, Roger and Anne lost their remaining parents (next Anne’s father, then Roger’s mother, and finally Anne’s mother). With a young family in place (toddlers Wendy and John), Roger chose to re-enlist in the United States Navy in 1963, launching a 23-year career as a submariner. Alice (third child) was born in Virginia Beach in August 1964. Navy orders soon moved the family to Charlelston, South Carolina, where Roger was stationed on the Polaris submarine USS Woodrow Wilson. In this period began a long line of “colorful” family pets, beginning with Sam, a lovable boxer (guard dog) who certainly had his share of antics. On one occasion, after being disciplined by Roger, Sam feigned a broken leg. The vet checked him out with a clean bill of health, and while still in the vet’s office, Sam, miraculously healed, chased after a cat in the lobby.

The Navy took Roger back to Newport News, Virginia and then to Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i in the fall of 1969. The family of five took a marvelous cross-country trip from Virginia to California in this first trek to Hawai’i. Roger’s youngest son, Paul Andrew was born on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota on March 15, 1970. Roger was cruising deep in the Pacific Ocean near Guam when he received a “babygram” congratulating him on the arrival of Paul Andrew (who came to his new family at 4 months of age).

Roger and Anne also shared a hānai son (adopted into their hearts), Andy Braden, along with his wife, Jo, and son Wylie. Roger had served with Andy’s father, Morse (Mo) S. Braden in the 1970’s, Mo as Executive Officer and Roger as Chief of the Boat (COB) on the Robert E. Lee, the third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine to join the U.S. fleet. On land, Anne and Jan (Mo’s wife) provided support to the families when the men were deployed at sea and became fast friends in the process. Roger retired from the US Navy in June 1980 (as Senior Chief Petty Officer), and then worked in the private sector in Honolulu and the Civil Service at Pearl Harbor. In 1984, Anne and Roger (and their younger two children, Alice and Paul Andrew) moved to Santa Maria, California where they lived for about twelve years.

Anne and Roger returned to Hawaiʻi in 1996, this time to the island of Maui, taking up residence in the ʻohana (in-law cottage) behind daughter Alice’s house. There Roger found perhaps his most endearing and satisfying role/job in retirement — serving as “nanny” to Alice’s children, Matthew and Jessica, who dubbed him “Bopo,” a nickname that stuck!

In addition to family caregiving, Roger volunteered with Hospice Maui (where Anne worked as Volunteer Coordinator). He took on a variety of roles: equipment delivery, furniture moving, companionship volunteer, and whatever else might be needed. Roger and Anne were active in Keawala’i Congregational Church in Mākena, where he served as Trustee, Treasurer (always a wiz at numbers), and choir member (albeit a multitasking one, with earphone in one ear and transistor radio in his pocket, to take in Sunday NFL games from the mainland). Their shared passion for music, especially Hawaiian music, led them to join Nā Leo Nani o Maui, a community choir directed by Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero and Gale Wisehart that they sang with for several seasons.

Indulging their love of travel, Roger and Anne embarked on cruises and camping trips around the globe; Roger loved cruising across wide expanses of open ocean the best. In the last 16 years of their lives, the couple would travel to Cleveland each summer, visiting for weeks or months with their Miano (Wendy and Dave) family. Roger dutifully walked the Mianos’ golden retrievers (Charlie and then Kula) several times a day and fed the collection of cats too. Most summers, they and the Mianos would also trek to Cooperstown, New York for the Glimmerglass Opera Festival (though for Roger, the Baseball Hall of Fame was probably the bigger attraction).

Roger’s guideposts in life were his family and the pride he took in his children and grandchildren, bragging to any and all about their accomplishments. As he shared in his toast at his 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration, in January 2008, his spiritual guidance came from his father’s favorite Psalm, Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd and Thou art with me, (your) kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Roger described his “Pop” as a man with a heart of gold and the patience of Job — and it’s fair to say that Roger embodied these attributes as well.

Roger joined his beloved, Anne Rowehl, in heaven (preceded on June 10, 2024) and is survived by daughter, Wendy (Dave Miano), son John Rowehl, daughter Alice (Joe McDermott), son Andrew (Erica Mooney), and hānai son Andy Braden (Jo); grandchildren Sarah Miano, Anne Frances Miano (Charlie Mosbrook), Matthew Vanni, Jessica Vanni, Grady McDermott, Shannon McDermott, Jacob Frost, Tatyana Matilda Rowehl, and hānai grandson Wiley Braden.

A celebration of life will be held on Maui in June 2025, with details forthcoming. For those so inclined, please consider a gift in Roger’s memory to Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio where he (and his wife, Anne) received exquisite care.

A Litany of Remembrance – We Remember Them

by Rabbi Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,

we remember them.

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,

we remember them.

In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring,

we remember them.

In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer,

we remember them.

In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn,

we remember them.

In the beginning of the year and when it end,,

we remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength,

we remember them.

When we are lost and sick at heart,

we remember them.

When we have joys we yearn to share,

we remember them.

So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are now a part of us,