HAROLD W. GOWER

WESTBROOK and CHARLOTTE – Harold W. Gower, 96, of Carlson Street, Westbrook, passed away peacefully Sept. 16, 2010, with his loving wife of 75 years and three generations of his family at his side at Gosnell Memorial House, Scarborough, due to complications of a stroke suffered Aug. 24, 2010. Harold was born April 9, 1914, in Charlotte, son of the late Horace and Martha (Brown) Gower, the sixth of 10 children. He was raised on the family farm in Charlotte, attending Gardner one-room school and graduated from Pembroke High School in 1934. He married Karin E. Sherrard, Oct. 8, 1935, in Calais. A celebration of 75 years of a wonderful marriage was planned for Oct. 9, but is now not quite to be. Harold moved to the Portland area in 1941 to work at South Portland Shipyard as a crane operator. He was a member of Local No. 4 of Hoisting Engineers and Operators, employed mainly after World War II by Robbins & White Co., Westbrook. He retired in 1979. Harold was an active member of Pride’s Corner Congregational Church for 51 years. He was a past deacon, Sunday school director and treasurer, helped construct the current building, and was a fixture in the kitchen for the church’s many bean suppers and fairs until his death. Harold was a subordinate Grange member for more than 71 years. He was past master of Cape Elizabeth Grange, past master of Cumberland County Pomona, a former deputy of Maine State Grange and a member of National Grange. Harold was a 37-year member of the former Warren Phillips Masonic Lodge, where he served as master, and Saccarappa Lodge No. 86, with which the Warren Phillips Lodge merged. Harold and Karin were among the founding members of Hospice of Maine in 1976, which Harold was treasurer for several years in addition to countless hours of direct service for 23 years. In 1989 Harold and Karin jointly were recipients of the prestigious Mary Rines Thompson award given by the Center for Voluntary Action, a division of United Way, in recognition of “their exceptional and faithful service to the Hospice of Maine and their unwavering kindness and support for all people in need. Sharing and working for the benefit of others is a way of life for the Gowers.” The award noted particularly their work on behalf of Hospice, the Grange, Baxter School for the Deaf, Little Wanderers and their church. In 1997 the Gowers received a lifetime achievement award from Spirit of America Foundation. Harold was a member for 25-plus years of Maine Genealogical Society and Maine Historical Society. In 1989 he attended a reunion of his Gower line in Tennessee, where among other things, he was able to observe the state memorial plaque honoring his third great-grandfather and other early settlers of Nashville, who were killed by Indians in 1780 during the first year of settlement there. Harold had many other interests. He loved family camping trips. After retirement he and Karin took a two-month motor trip to Alaska. He went on many other trips, including trips to Prince Edward Island, Pennsylvania and New York with special friends, Bob and Charlotte Pratt. He liked to play cribbage and Hand and Foot. He made plastic canvas items, did beautiful latch hook rugs for all his children and grandchildren, enjoyed doing puzzles and was known to recite poetry whenever asked. He will be remembered for his firm handshake and warm smile. He was predeceased by an infant son, Norman, March 1940; a son-in-law, Dominique Morin, October 1994; and siblings, Stella Cousins, Ralph Gower, Mary Chase, Thelma Batron, Alice Featherson, Eva Neill, Florence Hatton, Lewis Gower and an unnamed infant sibling. He is survived by his loving wife, Karin E. (Sherrard) Gower; five children, Louise and her husband, Lloyd Worster, of Satellite Beach, Fla., Gerald Gower and his wife, Janice, of Raymond, Lois Morin of Sebago, Horace Gower and his wife, Sonya, of Freeport and Elmira Collins and her husband, Clayton, of Standish; 15 grandchildren, Wendy Hocevar of Casselberry, Fla., Rebecca and husband, Naji Al-Mutairi, of Kuwait, Belinda Lantz and husband, Jonathan, of Yosemite National Park, Calif., Jodi and husband, Jeff Strickle, of Oviedo, Fla., Kevin Gower and wife, Maureen, of Leesburg, Va., Michael Gower and wife, Tami, of Wells, Brenda Gower of Hartford, Vt., Daniel Morin of York, Gabriel Morin and fiancee, Betty Williams of Francis, Utah, Richard Gower of Porter, Staff Sgt. Gary Gower and wife, Cristina, of Germany, Paul Gower of Freeport, Milissa and husband, Ted Ray, of Freeport, Cathie Bernard of Windham and Christine and husband, Josh Gagliardi, of Lake Mary, Fla.; 23 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews; and many, many special friends. Visiting hours will be held 1-3 p.m. Monday with a Masonic service 2 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. with a Grange service at 7 p.m. at Blais & Hay Funeral Home, 35 Church St., Westbrook. A funeral service will be held 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pride’s Corner Congregational Church with a reception afterward in Friendship Hall. Interment will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Round Pond Cemetery, Charlotte, with a reception after at Charlotte Fire Station. Please no cut flowers, though plants are acceptable, or those who wish may send donations to Pride’s Corner Congregational Church, 235 Pride St., Westbrook, ME 04092.