Alison Rowe

Alison Rowe 54

Alison lost her final battle with infection in her legs on Saturday, August 22, at the Meadowbrook Medical facility in Bellaire.  She is the daughter of George and Betty Rowe of Charlevoix. The immediate family includes sister, Karen Phillips, brother-in-law Emit Phillips, in Traverse City and their daughter Valerie in Buffalo, New York.

This is a close-knit family and there are many caring uncles, aunts and cousins.

Alison was born in Detroit when her family lived in Royal Oak and subsequently lived in New Jersey, New York and Miami, Florida. She was confined by a body cast and a body brace much of her young years so was not able to attend normal schools.  She was able to earn a high school diploma through home tutoring and while in school, she played clarinet in the high school band.  She had tuberculosis as a child and scoliosis that required steel rods in her back and several spinal surgeries. Later in life, she was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and diabetes.  She lived exactly half of her life in Charlevoix and spent most of them pleasantly at Pine River Place, in her own apartment.  She was often seen cruising the sidewalks of Charlevoix on her little red mobility scooter. In spite of her many problems, she was known as intelligent, even gifted in certain areas and appreciated for her sense of humor.

A service to remember her will be held at Charlevoix United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 29th.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Charlevoix United Methodist Church.