Paul Allison Bower

1925 - 2015

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Paul Allison Bower passed away peacefully, at the age of 89, with his wife and sons at his side in Ormond Beach, Fla. at the Hospice in the Florida Memorial Hospital.

Paul, known for his generosity, selflessness and sense of humor, earned two engineering degrees, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and an MA in Educational. Psychology from the University of Florida. He was born in Oak Park, Ill. on April 13, 1925, the son of Byron and Pauline Bower. He attended schools there and was drafted into the infantry from an air force officers training program in 1942, with the rest of his class. They were shipped to basic training and then unhappily to Europe where they encountered combat until World War II ended. Paul was honorably discharged and resumed his college career.

A skilled pilot, he learned to fly as a teenager. His father, Byron Bower, was a World War I flying instructor and invented a machine that bent steel - a boon for the war planes in World War II.

After the war, Paul worked at his father's company, Pines Engineering, making films that promoted another of his father's inventions - tube furniture, so popular in the 40's and 50's.

In addition to flying, Paul loved to sail, play tennis, and work in photography and film making. He and his wife Meg, with the help of friends, built their own clay tennis court. He had an interesting and eclectic career, including co-owning and developing a ski resort in upstate New York, owning and running with his wife, Meg, a ski shop in Newbury, a thriving business.

Paul was a professor in Business and Economics at New England College in Henniker, and Aurora College in Aurora Ill. He left teaching and worked as an accountant, and a tax adviser.

His last job before retiring was as a computer programmer and systems analyst at AIG in Manchester. Paul, known as a true gentleman, was a devoted husband and father.

Paul is survived by his wife Martha Elizabeth Gilman (Meg), to whom he was married on May 18 1968, in Stowe Vt. He is survived as well by three children, Wendy Capobianco, Jeffery and Steven Bower and their wives, Sebastian and Kirsten; and two step children, Evan, his wife Missy and Hilse Jacobsen. He has seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

There will be a Celebration of Life on June 6 at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Concord.

Donations in Paul's name should be addressed to Saint Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105-3678 or The American Cancer Society.