Obituary of John T. Rowe

John T. Rowe, Jr., of Manhattan and Lambertville, NJ, died peacefully on October 29, 2014, at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel, NJ, following a brief illness. A fine arts consultant and former president and CEO of The Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation, Rowe was 56. A native of North Carolina and a classically trained musician, John attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro prior to being graduated from The Boston Conservatory. He received a master's degree in French horn from the Manhattan School of Music, and performed professionally for several years. He then joined the staff of Food Plus Catering in New York, eventually becoming its owner and Managing Partner. Additionally, he was an international dealer in old master prints, drawings and engravings and was formerly part of the Broadmoor Antiques cooperative in Lambertville. In 2008, John became president and CEO of The Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation in New York whose mission was to support arts, music, education and social justice concerns. In 2012, John coordinated an exhibition of the McCrindle paintings that had been left to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C. Similar exhibitions followed around the U.S., most recently in June at the Ackland Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in July. John was Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the New York Youth Symphony. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for Bennett College, Greensboro, NC. He was a co-chairman of the "amfAR Countdown to a Cure by 2020" committee for Bucks and Hunterdon counties, and a member of the Bucks County Cabaret Committee for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He is survived by his spouse, Stephen M. Noonan; his father, John T. Rowe, Sr., Winston-Salem, NC; sister, Morgan Rowe, Decatur, GA; and, aunt, Kaye Morgan, Blowing Rock, NC. He was a beloved son-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and dear friend to many. A funeral mass will be held at St. John on the Mountain, Bernardsville, NJ, Saturday, November 22, at 11 a.m. Arrangements are being handled by Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ 07945. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in John's memory may be made to the following organizations that he supported and loved: The New York Youth Symphony, which is "the most awarded youth program of its kind in the nation, recognized for its innovative, tuition-free educational programs for talented young musicians." www.nyyouthsymphony.org amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, in support of its strategic and visionary Countdown to a Cure by 2020. www.amfar.org Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which funds more than 450 AIDS service organizations in all 50 states, including FACT Bucks County and 28 other service providers throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. www.broadwaycares.org