Melvin John Rowe III

Melvin John (Jack) Rowe III MD Born 10/08/1941 in Long Beach, CA. Died at home on 11/11/2014 in Medford OR., of myelodysplastic syndrome with the aid of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Born a fourth generation Long Beach resident to M. John Rowe Jr. MD and Grace Rowe on October 8th, 1941, Jack graduated from Long Beach Wilson High class of ’59. He attended Stanford University for 3 years and then was accepted at the University of Michigan Medical School. He returned to California for his Neurology Residency at UCLA, then went to the Mayo Clinic for a Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship. He served as a Major in the USAF Medical Corps in Dayton OH; then held teaching and research positions at UC San Diego and UC Irvine. From 1975 until 1994, he practiced Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology in Long Beach and was director of the LB Memorial Medical Center Neurology Lab. Jack was a dedicated, compassionate physician who took his patients’ care and his career ethics very seriously. He married Carol Clark Rowe in 1965. They had 3 children, Katie, James and Carrie and later divorced. During those years in Long Beach, he raced his Cal 25’ sailboat and tinkered with an Apple II home computer, serial number 149. He loved camping and stargazing in the desert with his kids. He married Connie Boddicker Seaman in 1989. They moved to Lubbock TX in 1994 where he taught at Texas Tech University Medical Center. After Connie's death, he married Janet Boddicker Vigil in 1996. He retired in 1999 and they moved to Medford OR, where Janet had lived prior to their marriage. In Oregon he was introduced to fly fishing, rod building and fly tying by a number of friends in the Rogue Flyfishers. He was soon taking RV trips to fishing sites around the West with Janet and friends and they enjoyed drift boat fishing on the Rogue and Klamath rivers. He loved the Zen of mowing with the tractor on the Boddicker siblings’ property on the Big Island and spending time with his expanded family. During his lifetime Jack traveled across the US and in Europe, the Middle East and Egypt. A rabid reader and life-long student, he enjoyed his medical journals, science fiction, history, archaeology, TED talks, crossword puzzles, playing with static electricity, and studying math and physics. He had a quick-wit, was insightful, couldn’t remember names, was quiet and often hermit-like. He appreciated opera and Gilbert and Sullivan. He played the classical guitar and piano. He was Janet’s computer guru. At Christmas, he presented homemade gifts (often made in his shop) of ingenious mechanisms, puzzles and “impossibles” to intrigue and frustrate. At his request, Jack’s 73rd birthday party was his “celebration of life”. Thirty four relatives attended the “roast” and he enjoyed himself immensely. Jack was predeceased by his parents, his wife Connie and his brother-in-law Charlie Boddicker. He is survived by his children Katie Rowe, Long Beach CA, James Rowe, Seattle WA, Carrie Rowe Bellis and husband John, Denver CO and their sons Colin and Garrett; ex-wife Carol Clark Rowe; Connie’s children Stacey Seaman, Austin TX and David Seaman, Park City UT. Also surviving are his wife Janet Rowe, her son Bob Vigil, Springfield OR, and his wife LaDonna and children Andrea Vigil and Kelly Vigil, her daughter Lisa Vigil Schattinger, Shaker Heights OH, her husband Doug and son Ben. In addition he leaves his sister Sue Rowe, Rocklin CA, her children Debi DeVinna and David DeVinna, his wife Suzanne and their children Ashley and Sara and many close-knit cousins. Family members are hosting an informal Open House on Sat. Nov. 15th from 2 to 5 at home at 1630 Meadowview Dr. R.V. Manor Campus. Memorial contributions may be made to Asante Hospice, 2960 Doctors Park Dr. Medford OR 97504.