by Shawn Nowlin
Certain people are destined to thrive in the education field. At an early age, they show a propensity for empathy and lifelong learning. Rather than tear people down to make themselves feel good, they instead focus on building relationships. One such individual was Douglas “Pete” Carl Dowe.
Born in Sept. 1928 in Salem to Lewis and Lula Dowe as one of 14 children, Pete graduated from George Washington Carver in 1947.
The next chapter of his life took him to Fayetteville State University in North Carolina on a full athletic scholarship. A member of four conference basketball teams, Dowe graduated with a degree in elementary education. It was on the FSU campus that Dowe met his soulmate, Lillie Mae Sutton.
Married for 73 years, together, they had three children – Douglas, Lenora and Brian.
“What I admired the most about daddy was his dedication. Everything that he did was done with 100 percent effort,” Lenora said. “The Chamber of Commerce recognized him as their ‘Father of the Year’ on multiple occasions, something he took tremendous pride in.”
She added, “My upbringing was deeply rooted in education and the church.
Growing up, my parents taught me and my brothers that at the end of the day, we are human beings first. How much money you have doesn’t determine your value to society.”
Dowe’s career in education spanned across multiple decades. Hired as the city’s first Black elementary school teacher in 1956, when he retired in 1988, Dowe had served as the principal at Lincoln Terrace Elementary School for nearly a quarter-century.
Dowe’s pupils came from all walks of life. Some had a staple two-parent household, while others were products of dysfunctional homes. Regardless of their circumstance, Dowe wanted each student to reach their full potential.
Of all the teachers that Wanda Harrison had from elementary school through college, she says that Mr. Dowe was one of her favorites. “He was so respected that you didn’t want to disappoint him. Whenever I ran into him as an adult, I always made sure to thank him for holding me accountable,” she said.
On March 2, the beloved father figure to many throughout the Roanoke Valley community peacefully passed. Dowe’s legacy lives on, in part, in how many of his former students have become productive members of society.
One Roanoke City Public Schools spokesperson said, “Please join us in remembering Mr. Dowe’s commitment and dedication to RCPS and the thousands of students and staff that he served over three decades and beyond. Our thoughts will continue to be with his family, associates and the many friends he had.”
