He was born in Saco on April 3, 1955, a son of the late Neville Dow and Verna (Benson) Dow. Stephen attended Bonny Eagle High School, and married Karen Thompson on June 6, 1975.
Stephen went on to apprentice in the Los Angeles Painters Union, and rose quickly through the ranks to lead teams of professionals on the union’s most important projects, such as the Miller Brewery in L.A. and surrounding area nuclear power plants that required the most exacting capabilities.
He returned to his home state of Maine to raise his family and created his own painting, wallpapering and historical building renovation business, which he ran for over 30 years. One of his biggest projects, of which he was most proud, was the renovation of the 100-yearold historic building at 400 Congress St. in Portland.
Stephen’s biggest passion was raising and spending time with his three children and his grandchildren. He had a lifelong love of the major New England sports teams, most of all the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. Stephen’s greatest Red Sox moment was the 2007 game four World Series sweeping victory, which he attended with daughter Jennifer in Denver, Colorado.
Other favorite hobbies were watching Academy Award-winning films and Westerns, and traveling across the U.S. He visited 40 states, and was planning to finish out the next 10 in his first years of retirement.
He was known by all to be a very keen student of history and politics – he read many historical textbooks and biographies every year, always building his knowledge and depth in history. One of his favorite places to study was Dyer Library in Saco.
He was preceded in death by his father Neville Dow.
Stephen is survived by: his mother, Verna Dow; brothers and sisters Bill Dow, Nancy Wakefield, Dorothy Benson-Morton, Jerry Dow, Lisa Dow-Geyer, Karen Beckwith and Glen Dow; children Brian, Jennifer and William Dow; grandchildren Katerina Dow, Vanessa Dow, Sequoia Torres and baby Stephen Dow; daughters-in-law Rebecca and Teagan Dow; and mother of his children, Karen McCracken.
A celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Services Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Route 22), Buxton.
In lieu of flowers, please mail any photos or fun memories you may have of Stephen to: Brian Dow, 115 Governors Road, Rochester, NH 03867.
Online condolences can be submitted at the funeral home’s website, mainefuneral.com.
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