We lost Dick Bowen Sept. 20, 2013, at the Hallworth House in Providence, R.I.
Dick prepared for Princeton at Providence Country Day School. At Princeton he majored in chemistry and was a member of Tiger Inn. He was on the wrestling and swimming teams, played cricket and rugby, and rowed on the crew. He roomed with Neil Carothers junior and senior years.
After graduation, Dick earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from MIT and did research there for the Chemical Warfare Service and the Office of Scientific Research and Development.
In 1944, Dick was sent to Saudi Arabia, where he spent three years designing and building a 50,000-barrel-per-day refinery for the Arabian American Oil Co. In 1948 he completed a doctorate in chemical engineering at MIT and joined Coated Textile Mills as vice president and director of research. He served as its president until 1974.
In 1963, Dick founded Tensiometers Inc. to manufacture mechanical-power transmissions and chemical-mixing equipment. He wrote in our 40th-reunion book that he was working there full time and had no plans to retire.
Dick wrote articles on early American pewter for Antiques magazine and various journals.
Predeceased by his wife, Phyllis Sewall Brown Bowen, he is survived by his daughters, Nancy and Sarah; son Nicholas; and two grandchildren.