John-Rowan-Obituary

John Richard Rowan

Chicago, Illinois

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Chicago, Illinois

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John R. Rowan, 57, June 13, 2023. A Los Angeles resident who grew up in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. Graduated from St. John Fisher Grammar School and Brother Rice High School. An accomplished, successful – and entirely self-taught - musician. Beloved son of Mary T and the late Richard P....

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My first memory of Johnnie was when I was around 10 years old. My younger sister, Peggy, and I had taken a Greyhound from Michigan to stay with Aunt Mary and Uncle Dick, Anne, Timmy and little Johnnie. He was still in a highchair, so I'm thinking it was around 1967. Even at such a young age, I remember he had rock-star good looks, and the voice to match. He sat in his highchair and sang the whole time, and he was really good! Many years later, when he was with Urge Overkill, I heard the...

RIP Johnny. We used to play Hot Wheels down the hill on Artesian, when we were little. We used to hang around when we were older at all the cool spots, Eric the Red XRT nights, The Exit. I´d go see him play at the Metro when he was in the band, Tumblin Dice. I´d see him later in the 90s, after he struck fame at places in the noerhside. No matter who he was with, he was always happy to see me and would invite me to sit down with whoever he was with. He was smart and funny. I was...

John was an amazing musician, and an even more amazing person. He had so much charisma, so much energy. He touched so many people, including myself, with his selflessness and his kindness. RIP John. You will be missed dearly.

Johnny had so much charisma, creativity and talent. He was my cousin and growing up I was in awe of how supportive his parents were to all of their children. If love were enough to save him, he would still be with us. My love to Mary, Anne and Tim for the loss of Johnny.

Some of my earliest and happiest memories were of Johnny and me as boys. Playing in Uncle Dick's and Aunt Mary's backyard, riding waves at the NJ shore, and visiting the loop for my first time. I remember him practicing drums on his new set in his parent's basement. He said it was hard work. But he was so drawn into the rhythm, that I knew his passion had found him.

Sincere Condolences to Rowan Family Rest in peace JOHN

Johnny and I learned how to play hockey together in Oak Lawn. Later we played baseball together and his dad was a great coach!

It´s hard to capture what John meant to me in the space of a few sentences. He changed me. He changed the shape of my heart. He believed in me and saw who I was at a time when I struggled to do so for myself. That was one of his many gifts- to break through the madness and see people for who they truly are. To say that I am sad that he is gone would be a gross understatement. Like so many others who loved him, I have been wading through the grief. Grief starts as an unbearable...

What a loss. A truly unique individual. Prayers for Johnnie and the surviving family Mike Ward