The following is the text of a September 1984 letter from the head coaches of the Dartmouth College men’s and women’s cross country teams to Laura Dow, who died of natural causes in her home on Feb. 17 at 96, upon her retirement from nearly 20 years as a secretary for various couaches and numerous intercollegiate sports. Read more about Dow’s life in Monday’s “A Life” feature in the Valley News.

—

Dear Laura:

On the occasion of your retirement from Dartmouth College after nearly twenty years of service the traditional letter of recognition and appreciation would speak to those many years and of your unfaltering commitment to the DCAC. This will not be a traditional letter. That is not to suggest that those years are not important. They are. But those of us who have had the pleasure, the fun, and the enlightenment that is automatic, spontaneous, and ever-present when one works with Laura P. Dow have come to realize that the length of service is irrelevant, that any attempt to measure time or even speak of time, with one exception, misses the point even though you often came early, worked through lunches, and stayed late; whatever was needed to get the job done. The one exception of where it is relevant to speak of time is this; you have you have decided that the time has come to leave us. As much as we cannot fathom what life at Dartmouth will be like without you, it is a good decision. You have always been a smart woman and when you know that it is time to join Harry, hand in hand, and go off together to do something else with your lives, who could contest with such a wise decision. We know that you both will be very happy. And you know that we will miss you more than any attempt to reduce that feeling of our loss to words could ever express. So much for the concept of time.

Let us instead address the more important fact that whether one has known you and worked with you for a dozen years or a dozen months makes no difference for both durations are long enough for one to know that you are unique and that to know Laura and to work with her is one of the very good fortunes that many of us at Dartmouth have had and knowing that we appreciate the extraordinary value of that association anew each day. All the more traditional comments that remark on service, commitment, and indispensability, simply are not sufficient in the case of Laura Dow. With Laura only love will suffice for that is what it is all about when one is your friend. This is a mutual love and affection which you demonstrated and which is always reciprocated no matter how busy the day, how bothered one is, how overwhelming the demands on your time or ours.

As a symbol of that love and affection the coaches and the athletes of the men’s and women’s cross country teams unanimously voted that 

Laura P. Dow

shall be an honorary life-time member of those teams, and that she shall be given a silver tray in recognition of this election. And, finally, that it be known that this is but the first in a series of presentations, Laura, because the men and women on the track teams shall also have their day with you. 

Affectionately,

Vincent J. Lananna, Head Coach, Men’s Cross Country

Peter Fox Smith, Head Coach, Women’s Cross Country