Noted veteran in Travis community dies

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cindy Alejandrez
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Travis lost one of its most memorable characters on base, an United States Army Air Corps veteran who refused to replace his typewriter for a computer.

On Aug. 5, retired Master Sgt. Joseph Rowan, the former long-time director of the Retiree Activities Office, died. Rowan, who was 90 years old, died of complications resulting from a vehicle accident which took place in March.

Rowan volunteered at the RAO office for more than 26 years, said David Wigley, the new director of the RAO. Rowan was also a World War II veteran, serving as an aircraft mechanic. During his lifetime, he also worked in civil service, worked a 10-year period with a rail road company and retired from the military as a reservist from the 349th Air Mobility Wing.

Overall, he served his country for more than 70 years.

"He was loyal and faithful to our nation," said Bunny Dominguez, the director of the Medical Retirees Activities Office at David Grant USAF Medical Center. "He really cared for our Airmen and their families."

Dominguez, Wigley and other volunteers who worked with Rowan said that he had a tireless work ethic beyond compare. During his time as RAO director, Rowan, along with his volunteers, helped new retirees understand their benefits and assisted them in gaining access to those benefits. Rowan also coordinated retiree events such as Retiree Appreciation Day.

Wigley said that although Rowan was almost 30 years older than him, he had twice the energy.

"He was more dedicated to the Air Force and to the retirees than you can imagine," said retired Col. Robert Boyd, volunteer at the RAO. "He was also the most informed and knowledgeable about Travis."

Through his extensive list of contacts, Rowan was able to provide the best assistance to retirees.

Boyd also explained that Rowan would make every effort to directly contact retirees, find local services for them and also avoided asking them to call any 800 numbers. Rowan would take time to sit down with retirees and walk them through a process.

"Joe was a 'phone call' person, not an 'email person," said retired Tech. Sgt. Jerry Purcell, a RAO volunteer. "He wanted to talk to you face to face, not with an electronic device. That more than, anything, will be missed."

Memorial services took place Aug. 16 in Sacramento.

For more information, call the Travis AFB RAO at 424-3904.