Tributes

Rebecca Ann (Matthews) Jowitt passed away peacefully at home in Palm Desert, California on December 26, 2025. She was 78 years old. Rebecca was born in Stamford, Connecticut on May 22, 1947 to Jeanette and Edwin Matthews. Rebecca was raised by her parents in Burbank, California, where she enjoyed a lovely childhood filled with close friends including Carol Peters, and strong bonds with family members including her cousin Bill Levey. In 1965, after graduating from John Burroughs High School, Rebecca was accepted to the University of California at Berkeley, where she majored in English. Her college roommate Lisa Rubens became a treasured life-long friend. At a dance party during her freshman year, Rebecca met and fell in love with Kenneth Jowitt. Ken and Rebecca were married in 1967 on two occasions, once in front of a priest and once in front of a rabbi. The couple later honeymooned in Bucharest, Romania. Ken and Rebecca bought their first home in 1970 and resided in the Rockridge neighborhood in Oakland, California for the next 40 years. Rebecca obtained her master's degree in English at UC Berkeley, and taught English at Oakland Technical High School and Castlemont High School in the Oakland Unified School District. She later worked as a grant writer for Castlemont High School, and established lifelong friendships with Pat Marino and Winston Williams. In the late 1990s, Rebecca and Ken established a second home in Clifden, Ireland. She and Ken spent many months each year in Clifden and hosted numerous friends over the years. Clifden became a cornerstone of Rebecca's life, and it was in no small measure due to her dear friends Paddy and Julia Foyle. Stateside, Rebecca and Ken retired in Palm Desert, California at Marrakesh Country Club. Their son Cullen and his family soon became their neighbors, settling at a nearby house one street away. At Marrakesh, Rebecca served for many years on the Marrakesh Scholarship Committee and found great fulfillment in helping students achieve their dreams of a college education. But her ultimate joy was being an integral and cherished part of her grandchildren's lives. Rebecca and her daughter-in-law Michelle Jowitt had a uniquely close bond and Michelle worked tirelessly as Rebecca's patient advocate and caregiver in the last years of her life. Rebecca is survived by her husband of 58 years Kenneth Jowitt, her son Cullen Jowitt, her daughter-in-law Michelle Jowitt, and her grandchildren Nicole and Sean Jowitt. Rebecca was preceded in death by her parents Jeanette and Edwin Matthews of Burbank, California and her dear aunt Ann Casper Levey of Camarillo, California. Rebecca was extraordinarily kind, selfless, and genuine; a treasured friend, loving spouse, and devoted mother. She bravely fought cancer three times with dignity, grace, and positivity. She will be missed by many in the communities that she touched.

Tributes

Rebecca Ann Jowitt

May 22, 1947 - December 26, 2025