Michael Joseph Rowning

"Michael Joseph Rowning was the son of Robert Rowning Sr. and Marguerite Rowning. He was born in Aurora, IL on August 5, 1940 and died on December 7, 2015 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He was the third of four children. In 1953 the family moved from Muskegon Heights, Michigan to Lake Oswego, Oregon. Mike finished grade school at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School and attended Lake Oswego High School, graduating in 1958. He went on to attend technical school earning a degree as an electronics technician and spent the next 28 years working in that field in the Lake Oswego area. While attending LOHS Mike met Joan Urfer and the couple married in 1961. They had two children, Sandra and David. Sandra passed in 2009. He loved being around young children and he and Joan spent 10 years providing foster care for many kids during that time. He was at his best when he was with children. Although Mike and Joan divorced, they remained close friends for life. Mike was a man of many talents and could fix or build anything. He especially liked working on his little farm in the West Linn area where he added a pole barn by the house to hold the family's collection of animals. You could often find him out in the pasture with the cows or working in the garden. Later in life he spent his spare time at his cabin in LaPine, Oregon. During the summer months he fished with David on the Columbia River for sturgeon, in the Pacific ocean for salmon or one of many Oregon high lakes for kokanee, trout and bass. Fall would often find him in Eastern Oregon on family hunting trips for deer or elk. When winter and the rain set in, he could be found in front of his wood stove until the spring brought sunshine and he could return to his garden. Michael is survived by his son David, daughter in law Cheryl, three grandchildren-Kimberly (Garrett), Matthew and Benjamin, two great grandsons Beau (Garrett) and Finn (Garret), his brothers Robert Jr. and Richard, his sister Rosemary and their spouses, along with many other family members and friends. Per Mike's wishes, on Father's Day 2016 when the snow has melted, there will be a gathering for the scattering of his ashes at Snow Mountain Lookout. We will meet at Delintment Lake which is north of Burns, Oregon and travel to the top, to the lookout. It was his wish that he be scattered on Snow Mountain where his lifelong friend and hunting partner Don Hillson was placed. Please contact his son David for more information. All who wish to attend will be welcome." Service Information