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By Tami Jo Nix - The Madera Tribune

Madera native Robert Rowe, 82, died on Tuesday, April 1, 2003 at Madera Community Hospital, where was a founding member when the hospital opened in 1971.

The native Made-ra son of Kathleen Butler and Robert Harrison Rowe, he attended Alpha School and St. Joachim School. He attended Madera Union High School and Reedley High School. He was a student at Reedley Junior College when he joined others of his generation and enlisted in the United States Navy on Dec. 8, 1941. He married the former Ruth Galle of Reedley on Oct. 15, 1943. While serving in World War ll, he was a naval aviator, earned a commission as lieutenant and was wounded at the Battle of Okinawa.

While recovering from battle wounds he attended the University of California at Berkeley. He obtained his medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco in 1950. Following an internship at Fresno General Hospital he joined the medical practice of his uncle, Dr. Kenneth Butler.

In 1966 Rowe served as a volunteer physician in Hoi An, Vietnam, for six months. He returned from Vietnam and worked from offices near the corner of Yosemite and Lake streets until his retirement in 1987.

In 1980, his son, Dennis, became aquatinted with a young cardiologist, Dr. Mohammed Ashraf, while in Houston, Texas.

"I didn't know anything about Madera," Ashraf said. "Dr. Rowe welcomed me and extended his friendship to me. He was my friend and my mentor."

Rowe practiced medicine in an era when family doctors and general practitioners took care of all of life's steps from birth to death. Reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting, his was a practice where the family doctor became a member of the family.

He often drove patients without transportation to the hospital and sat with them long into the night.

Marge Joines, the wife of one Asraf's first patients recalled a time when her husband, Dick, needed to see a cardiologist. Ashraf didn't have a working electrocardiograph machine, so Rowe sent his machine along with the patient.

When Ashraf became discouraged in his new surroundings Rowe encouraged him to give the people in Madera an opportunity to get to know him. He knew the good people of Madera would eventually come to accept his new colleague. Ashraf has been in Madera close to 22 years. Had it not been for Rowe and the encouragement he extended to the young doctor the outcome may have been quite different.

Sound of footsteps

Joines also worked at MCH. She always knew by the sounds of his footsteps when Rowe was coming down the hallway.

"He wasn't noisy, but I always knew his footsteps. He never had a harsh word for anyone," Joines said

When Rowe wanted to retire, he discussed the selling of his practice to Dr. Zafar Sheikh. Rowe trusted Asfah's judgment that Sheikh would take good care of his patients, a decision he never regretted. During his final illness it was Ashraf that Rowe trusted with his own medical needs.

During his golden years Rowe enjoyed perfecting his computer skills, volunteering his time at Heartland Opportunity Center and visiting with elderly patients at local convalescent hospitals.

He is survived by his wife, Helen Row of Madera; children, Maurine Behrend of San Ramon, Robert Paul Rowe of Madera and Dennis Rowe of Wailuku, Maui; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

A memorial mass celebrating the life of Dr. Robert Rowe will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 14 at St. Joachim Church, 401 West 5th St., Madera, CA 93637.

Remembrances may be made to the Madera Community Hospital Foundation, Heartland Opportunity Center or the donor's favorite charity.

Tami Jo Nix Tami Jo Nix is a senior staff writer, photographer and community / features writer for the Madera Tribune. You can contact Tami Jo at 674.8134 ext. 231 or e-mail at tamijo (at) maderatribune.net Tami Jo also handles community calendar items and wedding announcements. The Madera Tribune online subscription To subscribe or log on, CLICK HERE. For more information first, CLICK HERE.