Ronald Leo Rowe

Ronald L. Rowe, 85, passed away peacefully at home on August 10, 2024, in the company of his wife Claire, daughter Kim, and son-in-law Hugh.

Ron was born in Detroit, Mich. to Doris and Leo Rowe on July 5, 1939. His childhood was spent in Lincoln Park, Mich. and Jacksonville, Fla. His love of music began with flute studies at age 6; he played with the Jacksonville Youth Orchestra and attended the Brevard Music Center. Ron attended Alma College in Mich. where he pledged the TKE fraternity, graduating in 1961 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. After several years teaching music in Breckenridge, Mich., Ron relocated to Tampa, Fla. where he began his career in the music business with Schrader Music Service. Contacts he made there led him to a position with J.W. Pepper & Son, Inc., a Philadelphia music company. He opened branches in Atlanta, then in Detroit, eventually coming to the Philadelphia office as Sales Director and right hand to Pepper owner and friend Dean Burtch. He was promoted to Executive Vice President in 1973, and to President and CEO in 1990. A tireless innovator, Ron led his team at Pepper to embrace technology wherever possible. Under his leadership, Pepper programmers developed the most sophisticated order processing system in the industry. He was also a devoted manager and leader of the Pepper team, introducing work-from-home policies, flexible scheduling, and employee empowerment ideas that were far ahead of their time. He served on the Board of Directors of the Music Publishers' Association of the United States (MPA), and served as President from 1997-1999.

Ron's passion for sailing and the water took him on frequent trips to the British Virgin Islands, where he grew to love the community and culture and earned the nickname "Captain Ron." Following his retirement in 1999, he and Claire purchased Indigo Point on Great Camanoe, which they called their home for nearly 20 years. He enjoyed sailing and working on his Mason sailboats Autumn Passage (Mason 43) and Confetti (Mason 54), and was an active member of the Mason sailing list. He completed many blue-water sails, including an Atlantic crossing from the Cape Verde Islands to the BVI. In 2009 he achieved his goal of sailing single-handed from the BVI to Bermuda on Autumn Passage.

Ron's generosity and kind heart earned him life-long friends from all walks of life, but particularly among the working people of the BVI and the music business community in Philadelphia and across the US. He is survived by his wife Claire, daughter Kim, son-in-law Hugh, nieces Sheryl, Carole, and Marcie, nephew Russ, cousins Anne, Dan, Debbie, and Dianne, and so many others. His beloved brother Russell preceded him in death as well as his cousin Paul, mother Doris and father Leo.

Ron believed in the importance of music education and in helping young people learn, enjoy, and realize their potential in music and in life. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, any memorial gifts be directed to Play On Philly at https://playonphilly.org/ .

The family will hold a Celebration of Ron's Life on Sunday, September 29 at Phoenixville Country Club, 355 Country Club Rd., Phoenixville, PA, at 12 p.m. RSVP by September 12 if you would like to stay for a luncheon following the celebration. Email maggierandall24@gmail.com, or text 610-761-4980.