Joann Rowe was born on March 26, 1954, in East Chicago, Indiana, but her childhood was anything but ordinary. She and her mother moved nearly every year, living mostly across Southern California and Hawaii, following the rhythm of her mother’s singing career. Some of Joann’s most treasured memories come from those years — hiding beneath a piano at one of her mother’s shows, listening to the great Paul Horn play, or sitting in Sid’s Bluby coffee shop as a little girl, warming her hands around a cup of hot chocolate while her mother’s voice filled the room.
That early life of movement and music shaped a woman who never stood still. Joann traveled extensively throughout her life, first alongside her mother, and later across the country for her own career in nursing. For nearly 30 years, she served as an ER charge nurse at a trauma center — a role that demanded everything she had — before transitioning to case work toward the end of her career. Through it all, she showed up with the same steady presence and deep care for the people in front of her.
Joann has a quiet reverence for meaningful celebrations. Her favorite holidays are the Spring Equinox and Prince Kūhiō’s Day — the latter made especially dear because it falls on her birthday. They are the kinds of observances that feel intentional, rooted in something larger than the everyday.
The wisdom Joann wishes to pass on is just as grounded. Be honest. Take care of yourself. And above all — “Don’t you ever wait!” Don’t hesitate on your travel plans, she’ll tell you. Take the leap and go, because if you wait too long, the moment passes. She also offers this: “Don’t let ’em getcha!” — a reminder to stay sharp, stay yourself, and keep moving forward.
At Home Matters, Joann has found something she values deeply: people who treat her like a person, not a patient. She appreciates the genuine friendliness of her caregivers and staff, the real interest they take in her life and her stories. With family far away, that human connection means everything — and at Home Matters, it’s something we take seriously.
