DEWEY A. ROWDEN

Dec. 18, 1950 – Jan. 24, 2015

Dewey lived his entire life in Springfield and the surrounding area. He was a local musician and an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, but his true joy in life was his wife, his children and his grandchildren. He spent his career with the Springfield Mass Transit District working as a dispatcher for Access Springfield. Local riders depended on him to schedule rides for transportation. His coworkers knew him as a prankster and a jokester, but always reliable.

He married Doris on Oct. 21, 2006.

They complimented each other perfectly and loved each other deeply. Most days you could find the two of them dining at local restaurants, watching blockbusters at the movie theater, enjoying a Cardinals baseball game, watching local bands, traveling to their children’s or grandchildren’s activities and sporting events, or volunteering for Illinois Special Olympics. One year they were both honored to be Illinois Special Olympics local Volunteers of the Year. He was proud of his sons, Tanner and Steven. They shared in his love of thrilling movies such as Jaws or Jurassic Park. He enjoyed everything related to sharks.

Dewey was known by his grandchildren as “Papa.” They all looked up to Dewey and could count on him to bring a smile to their faces. He was always making jokes and laughing with others. He and his brother, Dale, were always sharing stories of great times they had together, each with their own view of how the night had really happened. Dewey brought joy to the lives of everyone he met. His laughter was contagious, and he is missed dearly by all who knew him.

Heather Dunn