Horatio C. Cowan Jr. ’46

CAMDEN — Horatio Cushing Cowan Jr., 93, passed away peacefully May 8, 2019, at Quarry Hill.

Born in Bangor May 1, 1926, he was the son of Horatio and Vanessa Cowan. Horatio (Ratio) grew up in Rockland and was a graduate of Rockland High School, class of 1944. His first job was working with his father at his Sealtest Ice Cream plant.

In 1946 he graduated from Maine Maritime Academy as a deck midshipman and began a career that took him to sea. Starting out on a freighter serving the northern European Waters and then on to working as a navigator on the SS United States, his ocean travels provided him with many ocean experiences, including being iced in for two months in the North Sea. His favorite run, though, was through the warmer waters of the South Atlantic to Africa.

In 1948 he met Mary Luce from Thomaston and they were married in 1950. They moved to Connecticut, where Mary worked as a nurse and Ratio attended Mitchell College. They later moved to Pennsylvania, where he attended Lafayette and earned his degree in industrial engineering. He started his career working with General Electric, and later moved to Nahant, Mass., where they raised two sons. He continued a 30-year career in GE’s gas turbine facility.

After retiring from GE in 1990, Ratio and Mary returned to his family home in Rockland and started to settle into a life of retirement, which included sailing, gardening, grandchildren play dates and civic activities. He was an active member of the Congregational churches of Rockland and Camden, an honorary member of the Rotary Club, Pen Bay Health Care Foundation and Quarry Hill, and a member of the Propeller Club. Horatio’s passion was sailing. He was an avid and accomplished sailor. Sailing the waters off Nahant and then later in Penobscot Bay and beyond.

Unfortunately, Mary passed away in 1996 after a battle with cancer.

Horatio was blessed with meeting and later marrying Elizabeth (Betty) Bliss, in 1997. They were truly happy, having found love again. The couple moved to Quarry Hill cottages as one of the first occupants. Sadly in 2009 Betty died unexpectedly. Horatio continued living at Quarry Hill and later moved into Anderson Inn

The family is very grateful for the care and attention Horatio received at Quarry Hill. He felt quite at home there. Thank you!

Horatio was predeceased by his brother, Ralph, and wives Mary and Elizabeth.

He is survived by sister Charlotte Sutherland of Oregon; his two sons and a stepson; Horatio “Ted” Cowan III and wife Beverly of Rockland and their children, Danica Cowan Brown, husband Isaac, and Horatio Cowan IV, wife Molly; William Cowan and wife Jody of Rockland, and their children, Bryson King and husband George, and Ketch Cowan; and Robert Bliss of Falmouth Mass.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 20, at Acorn Cemetery, Lakeview Avenue  entrance, Rockland.

To share a memory or story with Horatio’s family, visit online book of memories at bchfh.com. Arrangements are with  Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, Rockland.