Obituary of Philip E. Rowe

“… but the most marvelous thing of all, she said, was to lie on a sand bar in the moonlight, when the sea was calm, and to gaze at the large city on the shore, where the lights twinkled like hundreds of stars.” From Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tale. Our father, Philip Erroll Rowe, became an adopted Dane from the moment he met his beautiful wife, Inge. Happily married for fifty-seven years, he was a devoted and loving husband to Inge, and father, friend and inspiration to his children Bente, Erroll & his wife Cheryl, and Travis & his wife Natalie. Adored ‘FarFar’ to Sean, Julia and Erica. He will be greatly missed by his sister Annabell and her husband Bob Little, and his surviving brothers Herbert, and George and his wife Mitzi, as well as his sister-in-law Tove Lauridsen and his many nieces and nephews in Canada, USA and Denmark. Philip passed away after a short illness at London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital on Friday, June 22, 2012, in his 91st year. Philip was born in Prescott, Ontario on April 18, 1922 and moved to Montreal in the 1930’s where he grew up with his family of nine siblings. In 1942 he volunteered to bravely serve his country when he became a Navigator with the RCAF, serving until the end of World War II in 1945, flying nighttime bombing raids over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland. He spent a very long and successful career of 35 years with General Motors Diesel Division as a technical locomotive engineering expert. This allowed him to travel the world on many exciting assignments from Botswana, South Africa through fiords in Norway across to Greenland. After retiring from GM at the age of sixty-five, Philip went on to work as an independent advisor to the locomotive and railway industry for another twenty-two years. He was both a highly respected advisor and instructor teaching many of the younger engineers both practical and theoretical skills. His favourite assignment was the year he spent in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where he married his beautiful Danish bride Inge, and became an adopted Dane. Philip loved Copenhagen most of all and spent many happy occasions over his long life visiting Denmark and travelling together with his late brother-in-law Henri and surviving sister-in-law Tove, as well as Jorgen (late) and his wife Grete. He was made an honourary member of the Danish ‘Girl Watcher’s Society’ by Henri. Philip and Inge continued to travel the European continent over their lifetime visiting many fabulous countries and experiencing life to the fullest. More importantly, Philip touched so many lives in positive ways, teaching us how to laugh, how to treat and respect each other and in these last years, he taught us much more about how to live life. Philip was always there to provide advice, guidance and support to his friends, colleagues and family, doing so with a great sense of humour and innate kindness. His presence will be missed, his words of wisdom, his incredible sense of humour and most of all his loving ways. We look to that fine day when we will see him again. Rest in peace Daddy and may God Bless you. Visitation will be held on Monday from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the WESTVIEW FUNERAL CHAPEL, 709 Wonderland Road North, London, where the funeral service will be conducted on Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Interment at St. John’s Cemetery, Arva, Ontario. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of Philip are asked to consider the London Humane Society.