BANGOR – Dr. David Winn Bishop, 81, died unexpectedly March 20, 2006, at a Bangor hospital. He was born Feb. 4, 1925, in Watertown, Mass., the son of James and Hester (Walls) Gowing. He was the adopted son of Axel and Elsie (Hight) Bishop of Sharon, Mass. David graduated from Sharon High School and entered Harvard College. He left at the end of his freshman year to join the U.S. Navy. He was accepted into the submarine service and served during World War II in the South Pacific on the SS Besudo and SS Dragonet, until he was honorably discharged in 1946. David returned to Harvard and graduated in 1949, with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. He worked as a chemist briefly before deciding to change professions. He had worked as a camp counselor and waterfront director for the junior camp at Medomak Camp in Washington, Maine, all through college and several years after graduation and enjoyed it. David came to the University of Maine thinking of teaching as a new career, and earned a Master of Arts in education. He taught for a year in Madison and then became principal of Winterport High School back when the town had its own high school. David left to become curriculum director, then assistant superintendent in Ossining, N.Y. He completed his doctorate at New York University where he was named a University Scholar, an honor awarded for work at New York University. He came to the University of Maine in 1962 and taught in the College of Education for 28 years until his retirement. He was originally the graduate adviser for students in education and taught introductory courses and graduate courses. His special field of study was education law, and he taught numbers of students who became principals and superintendents about law as it pertained to Maine schools. It was here at the college he met his wife, Dr. Isabel (MacPherson) Bishop. They were married for 44 years. David was a sports fan and he played basketball and baseball all through high school. He was also an expert distance swimmer and diver. He coached teams in Winterport and Madison and taught swimming and boating safety to campers in Maine and Massachusetts. David loved music. He knew the words to every “patter” song of Gilbert and Sullivan. He discovered Celtic music while spending summers at their summer home on Prince Edward Island. He and his wife attended festivals all summer to hear the bagpipes and Gaelic songs. David loved to read, to walk the lovely empty island beaches, to dig clams and to make clam chowder. He loved browsing in bookstores, preferably second hand, and in antique shops and flea markets where he could find strange and wonderful things. During his working years, he was a member of several professional organizations, but at his retirement he gradually withdrew and devoted himself to those of interest to both him and his wife. David was a very generous man. He supported several students through their academic programs with tuition, advice and encouragement. He was always delighted to hear from them. They wrote, called or just dropped in. David leaves his wife, Isabel; a brother, Donald Gowing of Washington state; and a sister, Margot Buzik of Stratford, Conn. He was predeceased by his brothers, Ward Gowing, Richard Gowing, James Gowing and Rev. Dr. Peter Gowing. Services will be private for the family. Those who wish to remember David in a special way may make gifts to the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401, or to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401. A service of Brookings-Smith, Bangor, where condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com
DAVID WINN BISHOP
