Chester "Chet" Henry McIntosh

Chester Henry “Chet” McIntosh, age 90, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2023.

Chet was born on June 24, 1933, in Yuba City, California, to Violet Adeline (Verley) McIntosh and Harry Andrew McIntosh. He and his older brother, Harry Jr., spent an idyllic early childhood in Yosemite National Park, where their parents lived and worked. Their days in Yosemite—complete with a one-room schoolhouse—formed a magical backdrop to their youth. The family later moved so the boys could attend high school.

While at Grant Union High School in Sacramento, Chet met the love of his life, Mary Louise Knoch. With the blessing of both families, they married in 1950 at the age of 17. Their partnership was strong and joyful, lasting more than 70 years and filled with love, adventure, and deep companionship.

After high school, Chet enlisted in the U.S. Army, and the newlyweds moved to Florida for basic training. Their first child, John, was born in South Carolina in 1953. Following Chet’s military service, the young family returned to Sacramento, where Chet began college under the G.I. Bill. He earned a degree in Mathematics from Sacramento State University, and their daughter Carolyn was born in 1955.

Chet’s career began at McClellan Air Force Base, entering the emerging field of computer programming. The family later moved to Livermore, California, where Chet worked at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory and Sandia Laboratory, before transitioning in 1969 to a role in sales and marketing of mainframe computer systems at Control Data Corporation.

Chet’s years in Livermore were full and rewarding. He was active in the Boy Scouts with his son, tutored local youth in math, and planned countless family road trips, camping excursions, and backyard cookouts. He and Mary remained closely connected to their extended families, maintaining strong family ties throughout the years.

A promotion brought the family to Piedmont, California, where Chet managed sales to UC Berkeley’s Radiation Labs. He later joined General Automation, leading regional operations and overseeing one of the earliest implementations of local area networking at Bank of America—years before the internet as we know it.

In 1977, they realized a lifelong dream and purchased a ranch in Colfax, California. The McIntosh Ranch became a hub for family gatherings and rural life, with Chet’s mother living in a cottage on the ranch, his brother Harry close at hand, and their children maintaining strong ties to the property.

In 2000, Chet and Mary embraced a new chapter: full-time RV life. Shedding most of their possessions, they spent the next several years traveling the country—north in summer, south in winter—falling in love with Baja California and meeting new friends wherever they went. Their adventurous spirit never waned.

In 2016, they settled in Lake Oswego to be closer to Carolyn. Even in his later years, Chet kept a regular routine of visiting local coffee shops with his laptop in tow, checking on investments, reading financial news, and chatting with locals. 

Chet’s children remember a childhood filled with adventure, creativity, and unconditional love. He passed on his entrepreneurial drive, love of the outdoors, mathematical mind, organizational skills, and a warm sense of humor to his children and grandchildren. He always had a twinkle in his eye and a story to share.

Chet and Mary were widely known as a remarkably compatible couple—devoted to one another and to their family. Chet is deeply missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Mary, his parents and brother Harry Andrew McIntosh, Jr. He is survived by his children, Carolyn McIntosh Rowe and John Andrew McIntosh; daughter-in-law Lynne McIntosh; John and Lynne’s sons, Ted and Russell McIntosh; daughter-in-law Lisa Migliorisi; Carolyn’s sons, Steven, Michael, and John “Toby” Rowe; daughter-in-law Jackie Presuitti; and granddaughters Joelle “Joey” Rowe and Ava Rowe. 

In accordance with Chet and Mary’s wishes, a private burial was held for them both in Livermore, California.