Michael Rowe

Mike Rowe was born January 29, 1945, in Edgewater, Colorado, to Alberta and Byron Rowe, themselves Colorado natives. He grew up as the eldest of six siblings. He attended Holy Family High School and graduated in theater from the University of Colorado; subsequently he received a teaching certificate from Regis College. Although Mike lived in west Denver metro neighborhoods for several years, ultimately he made Boulder his home. He was briefly married to the late Elsie Jane "Janie" Stewart Rowe. He was a substitute teacher in the Boulder Valley School District. To supplement his income, he became a tour bus driver on the weekends, and eventually he founded and ran the local tour bus company called Generic Bus. During an economic downturn in Colorado, he returned to employment at the school district as a school bus driver, a supposedly temporary position that morphed into full-time work. He spent many beautiful mornings and afternoons driving up and down Sugarloaf's often icy roads to pick up the kids and take them safely home. Toward the end of his working life, health issues prevented his holding a Commercial Driver's License. Still, he loved the school kids so much that he became a bus assistant to help children with special needs, a job that lasted until he retired. Over the years, as a driver and bus aide, he crisscrossed all of Boulder County's roads. Mike was an informed and active citizen of his community. His personal passions included advocating for Boulder-Denver commuter rail service. He contributed time and energy to commuter rail study groups and task forces, and his disappointment at RTD's recent FasTracks announcement that Boulder would not have a train until 2045 was palpable. The delay would, he said, "leave us a half century behind most other major metropolitan areas in the country." An avid student of history, Mike also supported historic preservation projects locally and nationally. He worked to save and refurbish historic railroads and steam engines, and in recent years he volunteered at Golden's Colorado Railroad Museum, where he helped with locomotive and car restoration projects and with special exhibitions and fun days at the museum. He loved classical music, particularly pipe organ music. He worked to save and refurbish vintage pipe organs, several of which he "rescued" and rehomed where they would be used and appreciated. He was a very active member of the Rocky Mountain Fiat-Lancia Club, and he enjoyed all Italian cars. Other favorite interests of Mike's were pretty much anything mechanical such as airplanes and ships, and he was very acquainted with Colorado mining and miners' history. He was a good gardener and a kind and loving friend to many rescued cats. Mike passed away at his home in Boulder on September 13, 2013. He is survived by three sisters, Janice Kraft and Regina Carter, both of Bailey, and Patricia Melby, of Conifer, as well as nieces and nephews. Condolences to the family may be sent to Janice Kraft at 526 Vigilante Avenue, Bailey, CO 80421. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mike's memory may be made to either the Organ Historical Society (P.O. Box 26811, Richmond, VA 23261) or the National Trust For Historic Preservation - Denver Field Office (1420 Ogden Street, Denver, CO 80218). Please stipulate that the donation be used for Colorado historic preservation projects. A service will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2013, at 3:00 p.m., at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1419 Pine Street, Boulder, Colorado. A reception will follow at the parish hall. Please come and celebrate the life of this long-time member of the Boulder community.