Charles Rowe

Charles Edward Rowe, 84, died Oct. 14 in The Villages, Florida.

He was born Jan. 28, 1941, in Flint, Michigan, the son of Charles and Frances (Axtell) Rowe. Known to his friends and family as "Charlie" (and later "Chuck"), he graduated in 1959 from Flushing High School, where he was a standout basketball player, scoring 940 points in three years on the varsity and being named as a senior by the Detroit Free Press to its All-State team. He went on to play for Western Michigan University, where he studied business.

During his junior year at Western, Charlie developed mononucleosis, delaying his graduation by a semester. During that extra semester, he was set up on a blind date with a senior from Kalamazoo, Sally Shipley. Their first meeting was delayed when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, but seven months later, they were married at the university chapel.

After living in Kalamazoo and Jackson early in their marriage, Chuck and Sally moved in 1967 to Grand Haven, where they would reside for 39 years and raise their three children. In 2006, they purchased a home in The Villages but visited Grand Haven each summer.

Like his father and older brother, Chuck spent his career in the insurance industry, working first as a State Farm adjuster and then selling life insurance for Mass Mutual and auto, home and group health at the Vandermolen and Oakes agencies. He was a high school football referee for 30 years and had a love-hate relationship with the game of golf. Later in life, he enjoyed flower gardening, music (including singing and playing the ukulele and baritone) and drawing. He adored his children and grandchildren.

Along with his wife of 61 years, Chuck is survived by his children, Charles "Chip" Rowe (Charlotte), Carrie Rowe and Chad Rowe (Jaclyn); his grandchildren, Anna, Chloe, Charles and Alex (Kelsey Gingrich); a great-granddaughter, Juno; and his brothers, John Rowe and Robert Rowe. His sister, Marilyn Gruenberg, died earlier.

A celebration of Chuck's life will be held in Grand Haven in the summer. Memorial donations may be made to the Flushing Area Community Fund (bit.ly/flushing-fund) or the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (ghacf.org)