Lawrenceville Mourns the Passing of Peter A. Dow '50

The Lawrenceville School community mourns the passing of Peter A. Dow '50, who served on the Board of Trustees from 1983-1993 and was elected Trustee Emeritus in 1993. Pete  received the prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2015, honoring his exceptional efforts to promote the best interests of The Lawrenceville School over many years.

Pete entered Lawrenceville in the fall of 1944 in the Shell Form. He spent three years in Old Lower in the Perry Ross House, two years in Woodhull House, and one year in Upper House. He was very active in Periwig including dancing in spring shows under the tutelage of Audrey Estey. He was a varsity swimmer, a member of the Open Door Committee and the Herodotus Club. He graduated in 1950 cum laude and won the Advanced Spanish Prize. He shared the traditions of Lawrenceville with his father, Douglas (Class of 1918), brothers Bryden ’49 and Stuart ’58, and two nephews, Robert Ottaway, Jr. ’01 and J. Douglas Dykhouse '88

Obituary published below; class and parent years added by The Lawrenceville School.

Peter A. "Pete" Dow died Thursday, September 3, after a brief illness.

Pete was born in Detroit, Michigan on October 7, 1933, son of Douglas (Class of 1918) and Mary Louise Dow.

From 1945 to 1950 he attended The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville N.J., graduating with honors. From 1950 to 1951 he attended Rugby School in Rugby, England on an English-Speaking Union Fellowship. At Rugby he won the Mills Barton Prize. He entered the University of Michigan in the Fall of 1951 and graduated in June of 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts. At Michigan he was President of his Fraternity (DKE), a varsity swimmer for four years, a member of student government and was tapped for Michigamua, Sphinx and the Hectoring honorary societies.

From 1955 to 1958 he served in the United States Navy as an Air Intelligence officer with Fighter Squadron 22 with service on five different Aircraft Carriers.

Pete spent his working career in advertising. In 1958 he joined Campbell-Ewald as a trainee on the Chevrolet account. He joined Young & Rubicam when the agency won the Plymouth account. He subsequently worked for ten years for Chrysler Corporation where he ended up Director of Marketing. In 1979 he returned to Campbell-Ewald as Executive Vice President. In 1982 he was named President, Chief Operating Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee. In 1993 he was named Vice Chairman and held that position until his retirement in 1995. Professionally, he served as Chairman of the Michigan Advertising Alliance, President of The Adcraft Club of Detroit and on the Board of the Association of National Advertisers.

In addition to serving on the Board of Campbell-Ewald, Pete was elected an outside Director on twelve Corporate Boards, two New York Stock Exchange, three NASDAQ, and seven private companies.

Active in his community, he served as President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, Trustee of The College for Creative Studies, Trustee of Harper-Grace Hospital and on the Executive Committee of the United Way.

He was a Trustee of The Lawrenceville School, The Alice Kales Hartwick Foundation, The THA Foundation, and a long time Elder in The Presbyterian Church.

Over the years his clubs included The University Club of Detroit, The Recess Club, The Detroit Athletic Club, The Country Club of Detroit, The Grosse Pointe Club, The Old Club, The Islamorada Fishing Club and the Yale Club of New York.

Pete was married for 67 years to the former Jane Ottaway who predeceased him by five days. Survivors include his three children, Jennifer Dow Murphy (Devin), Peter Kinnersley Dow, Thomas Anthony Dow (Dr. Agata), a brother-in-law, Robert F. Ottaway, grandchildren, Eliza Murphy Chang (Jake), Emilie Murphy Smith (C.J.), Margaret "Molly" Murphy, Tomek M. Dow (Dr. Katie), Dr. Jane Ann Ottaway Dow ("Ania"), and Alexander F. Dow, as well as five great grandchildren and many dear nieces and nephews and their spouses. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Bryden Dow ’49 and Stuart Dow ’58 and his sisters Patricia Dow Ashurkoff and Caroline Dow P’88.

A memorial service for Pete and Jane will be held at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, 16 Lakeshore Drive Grosse Pointe Farms at a future date.