Fairman C. Cowan

WORCESTER — Fairman C. Cowan, 93, died Oct. 14, 2008, at his Worcester home. He summered in East Falmouth for more than 80 years.

Born in Wellesley Hills, he was the son of James F. and Hortense Fairman Cowan. He was a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Law School. He was a partner at the Boston law firm of Goodwin, Proctor, and Hoar, before becoming general counsel in 1955 at the Norton Co. in Worcester.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Navy and helped plan the Normandy invasion. He was aboard the command ship USS Augusta on D-Day.

He was passionately committed to the best interests of Worcester and volunteered endlessly with organizations to improve his community.

He leaves his wife of 65 years, Martha Allis "Polly" Cowan; three sons, Dr. Douglas F. Cowan of Blue Hill, Maine, Frederick Allis Cowan of Gloucester, and the Rev. Leonard C. Cowan of Northborough; and five grandchildren.

Fair and Polly loved to travel abroad, and as an amateur pianist, Fair earned his first trip to Europe in 1932, playing in a band aboard a French ocean liner. He was an avid patron of the arts, including Boston and Worcester symphonies and the Worcester Art Museum.

At age 40, he became an enthusiastic downhill skier, and continued to ski through age 92, when his doctor threatened to cut up his skis.

Ever since he was a boy, he spent summers in East Falmouth on Cape Cod, and enjoyed sailing and windsurfing, and swam every day. In retirement, he drove more than 6,000 miles on his moped.

As a final charitable contribution, he donated his body to the UMass Medical School.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, 370 Main St., Worcester, MA 10608, or the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, 319 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608.

Friends and family will celebrate his life on Friday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m., at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester.