HAVERHILL: Roland H. "Red" Dow, Sr., 68, died Wednesday, April 28, 2010 in the Merrimack Valley Hospice House after a long battle with cancer. He was the husband of Gertrude "Trudy" (Hubbard) Dow with whom he shared forty-eight years of marriage.
Born in Haverhill on March 11, 1942 he was the son of the late Alfred N. and Helen (Parshley) Dow. He was raised in Lawrence as a child and lived at the Lawrence Training School for Boys and Girls. Roland received his General Equivalency Diploma. He served our country for three years in the United States Navy as an aviation mechanic.
He was employed as a painter for Hoyt Decorating of Merrimac for twenty-five years and as a property manager specializing in building restoration for Cranton Insulation Company of Haverhill for ten years. He also was a bus driver for the Laidlaw School Bus Company of Salem, NH and for North Reading Transportation. These were the two jobs that were most important to him as he was working with challenged and alternative students. Roland found much joy working with these children and helping to make a difference in their lives. Roland was an uncle who was there for his nieces and nephews as he helped nurture many of them who were in need of care. He will be remembered for being a mentor to so many children over the years.
In his spare time he enjoyed auto racing, photography, crafts and working on cars. He was a frequent visitor to Lee's Speedway in Lee, NH and to Star Speedway in Epping, NH, where he was well known and a friend to many of the drivers. The time he has spent with his family until the end was the most important to him.
In addition to his wife he is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Edith A. Harris and her husband, Cary of Houston, TX and Francis Herbert and her husband, Norman of Freemont, NH, one son, 1st Lt. Andrew N. Dow, Sr. NHARNG of Farmington, NH. Affectionately known as "Bumpa" to his ten grandchildren, Mandy, Ronnie, Tabitha, Andrea, Roland III, Crystal, Pauline, Andrew, Jr., Jessie and Jillian, and twenty great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers, Armand "Sonny" Woodsum and Alfred Dow, Jr. both of Haverhill, two sisters, Helen Parshley of FL. and Evelyn Peters of Haverhill, three sisters-in-law, Mary and her husband, Leo Gadbois of Rochester, NH, Catherine and her husband, Buster Horne of Meredith, NH and Charlene Wholly of Bradford, a brother-in-law, Joseph, and his wife, Nancy Hubbard of Milton, NH and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his son, Roland H. Dow, Jr., and his sister-in-law, Marilyn Woodsum.
His funeral service will be held on Tuesday in the Rehoboth Lighthouse Full Gospel Church, 409 Washington Street, Haverhill at 1:00 p.m. Visiting hours will be held on Monday in the Rehoboth Lighthouse Full Gospel Church. from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Rehoboth Lighthouse Full Gospel Church, 409 Washington St., Haverhill, MA 01832. Interment will be held in Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill.