George Rowan

"Jack London" George Dodridge Rowan Jr.

May 23,1939 - June 10, 2019

George Dodridge Rowan Jr. a longtime resident of Oakland, transitioned peacefully on June 10th, 2019, at the Veterans Hospital in Martinez after a heroic battle with lung cancer. Born and raised in West Hollywood, George's mother Raquel Miller, a silent movie actress and piano teacher, taught him piano from the age of 4 which sparked his desire to be an entertainer.

At 12 years old, George got his first job working as a tennis ball boy for the tennis pro, "Maestro" Frank Feltrop, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Under the tutelage of the Maestro, George excelled in the sport, and earned a tennis scholarship at the University of San Francisco. While attending USF George began working in real estate, which he continued to do for the rest of his life.

George was a very gifted piano player, songwriter, and live performer, as well as a proud veteran serving in the United States Army from 1962 to 1968. From the mid-1960's, until his last months, George was a well-known performing piano player all over the Bay Area. George was honored by the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in 2008 and 2010. He also played piano weekly at the Veterans Affairs as well as The Lake Merritt Breakfast Club in Oakland, and always believed in the power of performance to uplift the lives of others.

George owned and lived in a crown jewel of East Oakland, known as "The Bordello." Built in the late 1800's, it once operated as a saloon and brothel. George earned the nickname "Jack London" because it was once the watering hole of author Jack London. The Bordello was George's life's work, and he would regularly play one of the 10 pianos he owned, and during his Tuesday Night Dinner Parties that he held for over 15 years.

George Rowan is survived by his many loved ones.