Charles Rowe – Renaissance Man

Charles Louis Rowe died at age 85 on Jan. 27 in Healdsburg. He
is survived by his wife, Sue McBride-Rowe, sons, Neil (Suzanne) and
Todd (Thelma) and his grandchildren, Tycho, Kevin and Sara. He is
predeceased by his first wife, Bonnie, and daughter, Mari. He is
also survived by his stepsons, Jason (Irit), Randal (Marrianne) and
Tom (Lori) and their children, Elizabeth, Michael, Kyle, Savanna,
Zoe and Liam.
Charles was born in Cicero, Illinois in 1922. He was proud to
have been in the first graduating class of Steinmetz High School.
He served in the Navy during World War II and attended Colombia
University and Northwestern University where he received a B.S. in
1945. While employed as Assistant General Manager at the Kline
Electric Manufacturing Company, he attended Loyola University and
received his J.D. in 1953. He also attended John Marshall Law
School.
He was a senior partner with the Chicago firm of Wood, Dalton,
Phillips, Mason and Rowe where he specialized in Copyright, Patent,
Trademark and Unfair Competition Law. He was also Professor of
Intellectual Property Law at Midwest College of Engineering in
Lombard, Illinois and Adjunct Professor of Copyright Law and Patent
Law at John Marshall Graduate Law School in Chicago. In 1989,
Charles retired in Cloverdale, California with his wife,
Bonnie.
Charles’ son, Todd, thought of his father as a “renaissance
man”, a man whose interests were many faceted. Charles was a
talented and original photographer, artist and sculptor. The opera,
symphonic and chamber music were his delight and he played some
original music. He was an intrepid and enthusiastic traveler and
his love and fascination with the English language was evident in
his writings and poetry. He had a dry wit, a romantic soul and was
very interested in all types of scientific and environmental
issues.
The family would like to thank the staff of the skilled nursing
and memory care unit at Healdsburg Senior Living for their loving
and compassionate care of a very gentle, cheerful and sometimes
funny man.
Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in Charlie’s name
to the Alzheimer Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave, Floor 17,
Chicago, IL 60601 or the Cloverdale Senior Center, P.O. Box 663,
Cloverdale, CA 95425. Services will be held at Good Shepherd
Episcopal Church, Cloverdale on Feb. 16, 1 p.m.