Jeffry Paul Rowe

Jeffry Paul Rowe — known with deep affection as Jeff, Dad, Daddio, Grandpa, and Gramps — passed away on September 14, 2025, surrounded by those who loved him most. He was 65 years old. Jeff was born on May 19, 1960, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to John Paul Rowe Jr. and Marcia May Conner (née Gee).

Jeff lived his life full of creativity and a gentle spirit. A 1978 graduate of Highland High School, he spent his life making with his hands and leading with his heart. He was a talented artist, master craftsman, home builder, and excelled in a career of cabinetry design and sales, always amazing those around him with his eye for design and his high-quality work. In everything he did, Jeff was a meticulous perfectionist who was balanced by a calm patience that made him an outstanding mentor and role model. To his family, Jeff was more than a provider; he was the first call for advice, the calm fixer in a crisis, and the patient teacher who would stop what he was doing to help someone learn.

Beyond his many talents, Jeff’s true love was his high school sweetheart Joanne Frances McGeary, the steady center of his life. They met as teenagers, married August 30, 1980, and spent 45 years madly in love. Jeff and Joanne were inseparable partners, bound by respect, laughter, and unwavering devotion. He always put Joanne’s needs and voice first, listening and deciding together. Their marriage became a living model of true love and how to face life side by side.

As a father and grandfather, Jeff always supported Joanne as they poured themselves into cultivating a beautiful family. Their daughters, Amanda Averett (Larry Christensen) and Jessica King (Mitchell), will forever remember the quiet power of his example—strength, humor, patience, and devotion to his family. Those qualities carried into his role as a grandfather, where his joy became limitless. Tyson, Zachary, Rylee, Frances, and Stanley will forever remember his Donald Duck impressions, his jokes and stories, his wheelchair rides, and the kind of hugs that wrapped them up in safety and love. As a father and grandfather, Jeff was always present, ready to teach, encouraging and supportive, and laughing with his kids. He loved involving them in projects, showing them how to measure twice and cut once, and he embodied loyalty and support in quiet, consistent ways.

Jeff, quite simply, was the best: unfailingly thoughtful, quietly tough, funny, and endlessly capable. He could make, fix, draw, or create just about anything, but he remained modest and unassuming. He was constantly concerned for everyone’s well-being, checking in, and worrying about where people were and what they were doing. Jeff wouldn’t rest until he knew everyone was safe and where they needed to be; he was always the last to fill his plate and the last to begin eating, making sure his children, grandchildren, and guests were content first. Gentle and unobtrusive by nature, he never wanted to disturb anyone, yet his work showed a fastidious attention to detail—he was remarkably patient with others while holding himself to exacting standards. His humor was perfect, too: with his glass of chardonnay (two ice cubes), he would listen quietly and then, at just the right moment, release a small, unexpected joke that filled the room with laughter. In short, he made those around him feel safe, cared for, and happy.

Jeff is survived by his beloved wife Joanne, his daughters Amanda and Jessica, his five treasured grandchildren, his mother Marcia (John) Conner, and his brother Jimmy (Cyndi) Rowe. He was preceded in death by his sister, Janna Kathleen Rowe, and his father Paul Rowe.

A celebration of Jeff’s life will be held on October 11, 2025, at his home, where family and friends will gather to honor the extraordinary man who blessed their lives with so much love, laughter, and talent. Jeff’s towering presence, big heart, and endless devotion will be deeply missed. His life was a gift, his love was a treasure, and his memory will live on forever in the lives of those who knew him.