John Sowerby Obituary, Death – The death of Captain John Sowerby, who had been battling small cell lung cancer, took place on March 28 in our home in Jensen Beach, Florida. I am writing to convey to you the news that he went away with a heavy heart and tremendous sadness. He was given intense chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments for the previous seven months after receiving a diagnosis in September; however, unfortunately, his cancer did not respond to the treatments and ultimately took his life.
This week, he made the decision to cease receiving treatment and entered hospice care. Once John was given the diagnosis, he shared with me and a number of other friends that he felt he had lived a terrific and wonderful life, and that he had absolutely no regrets about his past choices. Although he spent his early childhood in Dearborn, Michigan, he was born in Detroit, Michigan. John “caught” his first fish in Lake St. Clair in Canada when he was approximately 3 years old. His father slipped a fish on John’s hook when he wasn’t looking, so John didn’t realize he had caught a fish.
When he was younger, he was active in many sports, including baseball, football, golf, and ice hockey. After that, he attended Western Michigan University and participated in ice hockey there. John placed a high priority on family life in addition to his passion for fishing. He was devoted to and supportive of his family throughout his entire life. Jennette, who was his mother, stayed with us for a total of five years before she passed away. His sister Sandy, three nieces, and their families, all of whom reside in California, are the only members of his family he leaves behind. It was in May of 2022 when his brother David passed away.