Maureen Alice Vogler Rowe, age 92, of Milwaukie Oregon passed away at home on Sunday morning, March 1, 2015. Maureen was born in Portland Oregon on August 27, 1922, to Della and Charles Vogler. She attended Butte (Montana) High School and the Butte Business College (which she referred to as “Butte Finishing School”), where she learned impeccable shorthand which she used both at work and to write notes to her mother so her children could not decipher them.

Maureen worked as a legal secretary and in the savings and loan industry, eventually retiring to devote herself to her grandchildren.  She shared her love of reading, her creativity and artistic talents with them.  Maureen loved to spend time with her family including her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She also loved to cook for her family, walk - particularly early mornings on the beach, attend the symphony and concerts of all kinds, and read.  She had amazing recall of most books, had a large collection of Montana-themed books, and was working through a new stack of books when she passed away.  She valued education, and her formidable manuscript and footnoting skills helped get two children through college and graduate school (aided only by an IBM Selectric).  She and her husband Bill loved to take trips to the coast and to Montana to visit their son Bob and his family. 

 

Next to family, Maureen's church family was most important.  She was an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukie Oregon, where she served as a lay Eucharistic minister and volunteered in the office and on the Alter Guild.  She had volunteered to write cards to shut-ins only shortly before she passed.

 

Maureen was a great letter writer until her final weeks.  In addition to books, photographs, and other memorabilia, this passage, in her beautiful handwriting, was found among her papers:  Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

 

Maureen gave generously of herself, and was loved in return.  During her final days of in-home hospice care she was comforted by family and friends from all generations.  Special thanks to the dedicated and compassionate staff at Clackamas Springs, where she and Bill lived for the past eight years.

 

Maureen was preceded in death by her husband Bill.  She is survived by son Bob (wife Melanie, and their children Maggie and Sam) of Helena Montana, daughter Mary of Milwaukie Oregon (and her sons Tom and companion Whitney, and Matt and his wife Angelica, and their three children Aiden, Kaleb and Emily.)  She is also survived by stepchildren Bill (LuRae), Phil (Marilyn), Ken (Judy) Tom (Janet), and their children and grandchildren.   She was predeceased by stepson John and his ex-wife Carole (who are survived by their children Deborah and Rachelle and their children).

A memorial celebration will be held at St John's the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 2036 SE Jefferson Street, Milwaukie Oregon 97222, on Friday March 13, at 1:00 PM. Her ashes will be interred at St. John's, next to Bill.

 

Maureen requested that donations be made in her memory to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukie.