Mike Rowe of Kirkland, Washington passed away on November 23, 2023, at the age of 67. He was born on June 5, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Norma and Keith Rowe. After spending his early childhood in Rio, the family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then to Mercer Island, Washington, where he was raised with his two sisters, Sharon and Terry.
After graduating from Mercer Island High School, he attended Washington State University and graduated in 1978 with a degree in Business Accounting. Mike always described his years in Pullman as formative years in his life. He made lifelong friends and became an avid Cougar fan, rarely missing a football game of his beloved alma mater. Later on in life, Mike donated generously to the University.
After graduating from college, Mike moved back to the Seattle area and started his professional career in accounting for Touche Ross (now Deloitte). After a few years at Touche Ross, he went to work for Shurgard Storage Centers. There he became CFO, COO, and eventually President of Shurgard. Mike led Shurgard’s expansion into European markets, a key catalyst for the growth of the company. After his time at Shurgard he decided to start Cubes Self Storage, his own storage business with a few partners. Cubes has been a huge success and now has multiple locations in Washington and Utah.
During his time at Shurgard, Mike was also busy helping raise his two children, Matt and Kelly, at home with his first wife Tina. Although he was very focused on his career, he was a great father and always found time to connect with and be present in his children’s lives.
One of Mike’s great joys in life was sailing with friends and family. He began sailing in his early 20s and renewed his passion later in life. In the summers you could often find Mike sailing through the Strait of Jaun de Fuca enjoying the beauty the San Juan Islands have to offer. His adventurous spirit also led him to set sail from Rhode Island, California, and Florida. Few things made Mike happier than the open waters, sharing his joy for sailing, and teaching others the ropes.
In recent years, Mike remarried to Rebecca and found immense happiness in this relationship. During their time together, Mike was accepted with open arms by Rebecca’s family and instantly bonded with her three children; Melissa, Jonathan, and Emily as well as her seven grandchildren. Rebecca and Mike enjoyed traveling together and spent their honeymoon in Croatia. They also bought a second home in Scottsdale, Arizona to take advantage of the warmer winters down south.
Mike is survived by his wife, Rebecca, his two children Matthew (Jessica) and Kelly (Adam), his newly born granddaughter Sonya, and his sisters Terry (Klem) and Sharon. He will also be greatly missed by his nieces and nephews he showered with love over the years.
Family and friends are cordially invited to attend a Celebration of Life for Mike at the Woodmark Hotel – The Marina Room, on Friday, January 19th, 2024 at 2pm.
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