NORWAY – Dexter Milton Stowell, 79, of Bethel, died peacefully early Monday, Jan. 14, at Stephens Memorial Hospital, after a short illness.

He was born in Andover on Feb. 14, 1928, eldest son of Tressa (Milton) and H. Kirke Stowell. He moved to Bryant Pond in June 1928, when his father took over the leadership of Stowell Silk Spool Co. He was educated in Woodstock elementary schools and was the valedictorian of the graduating class of Gould Academy in 1946.

After high school, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in 1946 and 1947 as chief clerk for the Seventh Division Chaplain’s Office of the Military Police in Seoul, Korea. Returning to the states, he began college at the University of Maine in Orono only to be called back into the service from 1950 to 1951 when he was noncommissioned officer in charge, Training Film Library at Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Mass.

After completing his service, he returned to the University of Maine earning a B.A. in business administration with high distinction in 1953. While at Maine, he was a member of the Phi Mu Delta Fraternity. He was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Pi honor societies.

In 1953, he moved to Boston to take a job as assistant bank examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank. His first weekend in Boston, on a blind date (and his 25th birthday), he met his future wife, Janet Sutherland. They married June 12, 1954, and remained in Massachusetts until 1955, when his father convinced him to come back to Maine to help run the mill in Bryant Pond.

After his father’s death in late 1956, he moved to Bethel with his wife and daughter and served as vice president and general manager of Stowell Wood Products, Bryant Pond (majority ownership being held by Belding Heminway Corp.) until 1980. From 1980 to 1985, he was the company’s president and treasurer. After the sale of the business in 1985, he enjoyed working as a consultant, primarily in the role of part-time comptroller, for several small businesses in northern New England.

Always active in the community, he was a corporator and trustee of Bethel Savings Bank from 1969 to 1981, later elected trustee emeritus. From 1961 to 1980, he was a trustee of Gould Academy, serving in the roles of board member, secretary of the board and finally as trustee emeritus.

He was a member of the Bethel School Board from 1961 to 1965, serving as chairman for part of that time. He was also a director of the board for SAD 44 and chairman 1966 to 1968 (a period of time he always said was very interesting as SAD 44 was just beginning). For a number of years, he was the moderator for Bethel town meetings.

He served on the board of the Bethel Library Association; was an honorary member and longrange planning committee member of the Bethel Historical Society; was an active member of the West Parish Congregational Church UCC, where he was a longtime choir member and served the church at different times as treasurer and on the finance committee. Beyond Bethel, he was a board member of Wood Products Manufacturers Association, Gardner, Mass., 1957 to 1961, 1969 to 1972, 1984 to 1985; serving as president in 1962 to 1963.

A tall, thoughtful, kind man with a dry sense of humor, he enjoyed golf, reading, listening to his extensive jazz collection, cross-country skiing, playing the piano, and working in his garden. A New Englander to the core, he was a Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan.

Together with his wife of 53 years they raised three daughters, Betsy, Judy and Nancy. He especially loved his six grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Janet; his daughters, Elizabeth (Betsy) Stowell and her partner, Timothy McLean of Hamilton, Mass., Judy Stowell Stalford and husband, Robert Stalford of Auburn, Nancy Stowell White and husband, William White III of Bethel, his grandchildren, Jessica and Sean Doonan of Hamilton, Mass., Tressa (Stalford) Santillo of Jefferson, Mass., Nicholas Stalford (U.S. Army) of Fort Rucker, Ala., and Joseph and Matthew Stalford of Auburn; his sisters, Sally Stowell Tessicini and husband, Cesidio of Sarasota, Fla., Sylvia Stowell Hauzenblaus of Bryant Pond and Sandra Stowell Seaver of Bethel; brother, David Stowell and wife, Holly of South Paris; aunt, Harriet Stowell Blake of Kingfield; six nieces and nephews, including one special nephew, Kirke S. Curtis of Brookline, Mass., who lived with the Stowells for many summers.