Joseph Peterson “Pete” Rowlett, III, of New Bern, 70, passed away peacefully at home after a brief battle with Acute Myelocitic Leukemia.

He was born in Washington and attended Washington High School. He graduated from Wake Forest University and Bowman School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He was an Emergency Room Physician at Craven Regional Medical Center for 18 years, and ECIM Urgent Care for 10 years.

Pete retired in 2007, and enjoyed a busy post-career life: sailing, gardening, woodworking and working at Northwest Creek Marina. His favorite cruising destinations were South River and Cape Lookout. He and Pat had cruised to Charleston and Bermuda aboard their boat, Confidante. A great lover of nature, he believed in keeping our beautiful rivers and roadsides clean. Pete was a lover of classical music and Broadway show tunes and played the piano (secretly). He recorded Craven Messiah Chorus performances for 36 years.

Pete was predeceased by his father, Joseph P. Rowlett, Jr. Dr. Rowlett is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Patterson Kerr Rowlett; mother, Thelma Pauline “Polly” Rowlett, of Washington; sister, Leigh Rowlett Skeen and husband Richard, of Rocky Mount; nieces Tracy Dixon Watson, of Greenville; and Jennifer Dixon Smith and husband Matt; great nephews, Camden and Aidan of Anderson, South Carolina ; brothers-in-law, John Lynn Kerr and wife Colleen Liggett of Springwater, New York, and Edmund Burke Kerr, wife Carey, nephew Cameron, and niece Natalie of Bremerton, Washington; uncle Carl Weekly, of High Point; and numerous cousins and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sound Rivers, PO Box 15451 New Bern, NC 28561 or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor services, PO Box 98018 Washington DC 20090-8018 or www.lls.org.

A memorial service will be held at 11 am, Thursday, May 30, 2019, at First Presbyterian Church, 400 New St., New Bern, officiated by Rev. Dr. Maren Sonstegard-Spray and Rev. Lloyd Griffith.