Matthew Wesley Rowe
Matthew Wesley Rowe, formerly of Athens, Ohio, passed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2024. Matt was born in Waco Texas on April 18, 1956, into a military family stationed at Connelly Air Base to an Air Force Navigator father, Wesley J. Rowe, and Air Force Nurse mother, Doris N Rowe. A year later he had a younger brother, Marshall, and a few years after that they moved to Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire where his remaining three siblings, Sharron, Chris and Cathy, were born. In 1966 they moved to Athens, Ohio, first living in a cabin at Lake Hope before moving into a house on Avon Place. Maybe this start to his life is what formed the future lifestyle he lived.
Matt graduated in 1974 after attending Athens High School/Tri County Joint Vocational School for Agricultural Mechanics. At the age of 16/17 Matt was actually a door bouncer at bars along Court Street keeping people older than himself out of them. Matthew also served in the Ohio Civil Air Patrol for several years. He then moved to Mt. Holly, New Jersey, spending several years working as a heavy equipment mechanic before moving to St Petersburg, Fl where he met his partner/wife of 42 years, Sheree Christen.
Matt’s siblings eventually nicknamed him ‘Traveling Matt from Fragglerock’ because often it was never known where he was, or where/when he’d show up. Living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, he eventually moved to rugged Arizona. For a few years he and Sheree even lived in a tent at a campground before settling down in Superior. He was a hardworking man who started his own business, Rowe’s Remodeling, while also donating his time cooking for Firefighters, and was also a butcher at Ron’s Market. While there, Matt and Sheree had two sons, Matthew and Joshua. Eventually winding up in Apache Junction, AZ, Matt enjoyed shooting, fishing, and spending countless hours prospecting/panning for gold.
Matthew died in his own home after a long illness with his partner/wife and sons by his side. He is survived by his wife, Sheree Christen Rowe; sons, Matthew and Joshua Rowe; father, Wesley J. Rowe; siblings, Marshall Rowe, Sharron Rowe Diedrichsen, Christopher Rowe and Catherine Rowe Thompson; and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. He also loved his various birds over the years and is also survived by his most recent, Peaches, the parrot.