Locally Owned & Operated
meet the WESTHUES FAMILY
pictured L to R: Mary Ann Westhues, Mark Westhues, Dr. Eileen Rowe
We've been married since 1980. Life landed us in Lee's Summit, but we're originally from Raytown. Our two children are grown, both with medical careers and spouses. So now it's just us and our precious pug, Jude, at home. While we have always worked together managing children or house-building, we have had very different professional career paths until now.
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(Mark): After serving as a military police officer in the Army, I found my way to the electric trade and ultimately went on to co-found a commercial electric company. I'm proud to say it's still a successful family business today. Additionally, I love real estate and have developed a multi-family housing complex at the Lake of the Ozarks. My favorite thing to do is play pickleball when time allows.
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I am a person who is naturally organized, and I believe in maintaining a high level of ethics. My excitement about entering the medical marijuana business stems from my entrepreneurial spirit. I embrace the challenges this new business field presents and believe my background and characteristics can help bring safety and credibility to this industry.
(Mary Ann): I am a recently retired anesthesiologist nurse. I have spent my entire career (all 39+ years!) in the medical field, with jobs ranging from intensive care to anesthesia to instructing other nurses. I've always known that I wanted to help people, and my primary focus in the field of anesthesia allowed me to fulfill that. I also gained extensive knowledge in pain relief and the limitations and side effects of opioids, which enhances my ability to help our patients/guests today.
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The combination of my personal family tragedies, my professional medical experience, and my daily interactions with patients suffering from chronic or acute pain issues — uncontrollable with conventional medicine — lead to my pursuit of alternative methods for pain control. I'm thrilled to bring 3rd Street Dispensary to our community, broaden my understanding, and reach those seeking alternative medicine and pain control methods.
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"To be at the start of this — a frontier — how exciting!"
Dr. Eileen Rowe is the daughter of Mark and Mary Ann Westhues, which is how Team 3SD was fortunate enough to find her. Eileen had the same passion for helping others as her mother and is a practicing, board-certified doctor today. Dr. Rowe's credentials, experience, and meticulous yet calming manner (a trait her father takes credit for) make her a perfect fit for our founding team.
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"As an emergency room physician, the most common presenting complaint is 'pain.' I examine and treat patients daily for acute pain. Unfortunately, a large percentage of my patients have chronic pain too. My medical experience and compassion for these patients, including my uncle who suffered and died of ALS / Lou Gehrig's Disease, has motivated me to research alternative methods of pain relief — including medical marijuana."
"My research has convinced me that the use of medical marijuana is multiple for multiple chronic diseases and terminal illnesses."