Richard Charles Gower

Born in Providence, RI, July 15, 1934, he was the second of three children of the late Harold and Florence (Graves) Gower. In 1953 he graduated from the Moses Brown School, and in '57 from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA, where he majored in History, and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a secret society known as "C," where he made lifelong friends. Later in '57, upon graduating from the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport, RI, as an Intelligence Ensign, he was assigned, during the cold war, to the Navy's secret Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS), used exclusively to track the movement of the USA's enemy ships and submarines. SOSUS was so secret that the U.S. Government, for decades, refused to acknowledge its existence. Working for SOSUS, from 1957 - 1961, Dick was stationed in a number of locations: Nantucket, MA; Shelbourne, Nova Scotia; Norfolk, VA; ad Key West, FL.

In 1961 he was honorably discharged as a Lt. J.G., but continued to serve for another 15 years in the Naval Reserve, and was a lifelong Patriot. In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, SOSUS played a pivotal role. When President Kennedy was able, with its information, to out-fox Soviet Premiere, Khrushchev, who wanted to install nuclear missiles on Cuban soil. Being able to identify the coordinates of the Soviets' five nuclear-armed subs located in the Straits of Florida, Kennedy managed to one-up Khruschchev, who upon learning that if he were to push his RED button to annihilate the U.S., Kennedy had the ability to do the same to the Soviet Union. In stunned silence, Khrushchev blinked. See the movie THIRTEEN DAYS.

Upon returning home to Providence, RI, Dick began his 47-year career as an entrepreneur, salesman and HVAC specialist, taking over for his incapacitated father, Harold, at his fuel oil and service business White Fuel Co. (WFC). At that time, the company had only one oil delivery truck. During the intervening 46 years, until his 2007 retirement, he and his WFC team grew it from 300 customers to over 10,000. He cared deeply for his employees, who to him were his extended family. During that period, Dick served on the boards and as President of two trade organizations, the Oil Heat Institute of RI and the New England Fuel Institute. He lobbied fervently and successfully in both the RI Statehouse and in the US Capitol for legislation to advance oil heat initiatives. Dick was a larger-than-life bundle of positive energy! He was a strong and principled man, a man to be admired. What joy he gave the world with his beaming smile that twinkle in his eye ... and his ZEST for life!!! He was a blessing to the world, and a gift to all fortunate enough to know him.

Before El came along, he loved taking his young sons Curt and Rick, in the summer to vacation at a colony of cabins on the West Bank of the Westport River, where they enjoyed spending every day in a rowboat on the river, and in the river digging for their dinner of oysters and clams. All three of them loved the comradery of boating, fishing and in the winter, skiing together. He also enjoyed hitting the links with his golf buddies, who were highly entertaining, with their stories and jokes, and they with his. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time "tractoring" at his beloved Frog Hollow Farm, Westport, MA, diligently striving to steward the land and improve the view to the Westport River, creating senseless acts of beauty. When the sun went down, the drinks were cold, and the piano hot, there was nothing he loved more than feeling the rhythm of that music in every fiber of his being and moving with it. And nothing was more fun for his partner ... wife El or any of the others, who thrilled at how he could send them twirling and twisting out, the way he did, then reel them back in as if they were born to it. Many was the time, when he and El were dancing, that a lady would draw close, tap El on the shoulder, and ask, "May I cut in?" because, she had seen Dick in action, and HAD to dance with him. In fact, it actually happened at the funeral of a wonderful lady friend, that her son took the podium and recited all of her favorite things. Among them was "dancing with Dick Gower!" In his later years, as he became wheelchair-bound, his joy was to be found in family gatherings, and having all his loved ones close. He was always up for a party, especially if it was for him! So, it was fitting that, in 2019, El threw an 85th birthday party for him, attended by 54 friends and family. Afterwards, on the way home, his comment was, "That was FANTASTIC! Do you think we could do that again sometime real soon?" Stifling her chuckle, all she could say was, "We'll see."

He was predeceased by his older brother Russell and younger sister Carol Gower Moser, but is survived by his wife, El, the love of his life for 47 years, sons Curtis & wife Susan (Bristol, RI), Rick (Lake Elsinore, CA), granddaughter Brittany Gower McElhinney and husband Sean, 2 great grand-daughters Lila Rose and Maddie (Norton, MA), 5 beloved nieces and nephews and 10 Great nieces and nephews.

A Vero Beach service will be held on Sunday March 6, 2022 at the Calvary Chapel, 941 18th Street, Vero Beach, FL (corner of 10th and 17th Street). Arrangements by Aycock Funeral Home, Ft. Pierce, FL.

Also, a Providence service will be held July 8th in Westport MA, 11:00 am at Acoaxet Chapel, 36 Howland Rd, with a reception immediately following at Acoaxet Club. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick's memory to Calvary Chapel, 941 18th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycock-hillcrest.com for the Gower family.