HANOVER, NH — Richard S. Bower, 91, of Hanover, N.H. died Wednesday morning, July 29, 2020, at home.
Dick Bower was the eternal optimist: he firmly believed that everything would work out fine… and, for him, it always did. The sun seemed to shine upon him, both figuratively and literally, and he lived a full and happy life for 91 years, always aware of how much he had to be thankful for.
Dick is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Dot. He is survived by his three daughters, Gari Patton, Lori Kaes (Jeff), and Nancy Martin (Pat), and seven grandchildren, Sarah, Michael, and Laura Patton, Megan Kaes Long, and Tim, Peter, and Elena Martin.
Born in New York City, NY in 1928, the only son of Jacob and Elsie Vanderbeugle Bower, Dick graduated from Horace Mann School for Boys at the age of 16. He attended Kenyon College (1949) and taught there for a year after graduating, then went on to pursue further studies at Columbia University (MBA, 1955), and Cornell University (PhD, 1962), with a stint in the Navy from 1951 to 1955. It was while stationed in Virginia that he met Dorothy Hagberg, the love of his life, and they were married in 1953. Dick taught economics at Alfred University and Vanderbilt University before joining the faculty at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 1962, where he remained until his retirement in 1990 (though he continued to teach until 1999). He was revered there by students and faculty alike.
Family time was important to Dick, and his teaching profession allowed for extended summer trips across Canada by train and the U.S. by car, as well as time spent relaxing at home. He enjoyed hiking, and his girls would often accompany him on climbs up the Presidential peaks, lured by the promise of M & M’s. He loved singing, and the fact that he couldn’t carry a tune didn’t dampen his enthusiasm as he regaled friends and strangers alike with songs from musicals. He made friends wherever he went, and had a quip for everyone.
A lifelong learner, Dick enjoyed taking classes through Dartmouth’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and attending seminars at Tuck. He might be found delving into mysteries written by female British authors, picking apart The Federalist Papers, or analyzing jazz music. He attended plays, operas, and movies but was equally at home cheering on his New York Yankees. Dick loved spending summers in Maine, traveling with his daughters to destinations ranging from the national parks in Utah to the rocky shoreline of Nova Scotia, reading, and doing Sudoku puzzles. He was a generous, thoughtful man with a wonderful sense of humor, and he will be greatly missed.
A gathering to celebrate Dick’s life will be held at a later date when it is safe to do so. Contributions in Dick’s memory can be made to the Professor Richard S. Bower Finance, Economics, and Accounting Seminar Fund at the Amos Tuck School of Business or to your favorite charity.
To view an online memorial and or send a message of condolence to the family, please visit, www.rand-wilson.com.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.