Dudley Francis Bowker

Bank President, Pilot, Helped Transform Worcester Airport

Dudley Francis Bowker, 92, died May 8, 2020 from complications of Covid-19. A lifelong resident of Worcester, Dudley served as president and CEO of Millbury Savings Bank. An accomplished pilot, he served as chairman of the Worcester Airport Commission and as a member of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, advocating for improvements that expanded the city’s regional airport into an economic engine for central Massachusetts.

He was a resident of the Jewish Healthcare Center at the time of his death.

He was born in Worcester in 1927, the fourth son of Harold Sawyer and Susie Mae (Upham) Bowker. He was a graduate of Commerce High School and a 3-year program sponsored by the National Association of Mutual Savings Banks at Brown University. He started his 45-year financial career as a teller at the Millbury Savings Bank rising to president. He is remembered for his lively personality and ability to keep the bank prosperous during his 14-year tenure at the helm. He retired in 1993.

Dudley enlisted in the Navy in 1945 before finishing high school in order to join his 3 older brothers in combat. He attended Aviation Machinists Mate School at the Naval Air Training Center and trained as a rear seat aerial gunner for Navy dive and torpedo bombers. He became a target drone pilot and operator. He served aboard the battleship USS Wyoming, and the USS Solar, a destroyer that was sunk an hour after he transferred off.

At the age of 15, Dudley worked at the Grafton Airport, trading his time for flying lessons. He received his pilot’s license at the age of 16. Using the GI Bill, he attended the Boston National Aviation Academy and graduated with a certificate in airframe and power plant mechanics. He flew planes until he was 87 years old. He flew his niece to Nantucket for her honeymoon and friends and relatives to regional airports for Saturday morning breakfasts.

He was active with the Greendale Men’s Club and enjoyed playing in the senior softball league as a pitcher. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Olive Branch Lodge in Millbury.

Dudley is survived by his wife of 28 years Gladys (Crawford) Forget Bowker, four children: Barbara Minney of Millbury; Steven and his partner Sue Henzy of Georgia; Lee and his wife Judy and Cheryl Vassar and her husband Jeffrey of Millbury; four stepchildren; Steven Forget and his wife Micheline of Shrewsbury; Paula Morrison and her husband Scott of Holden; Christine Forget and her husband John Humphreys of Jamaica Plain and Peter Forget of Westerville, OH as well as 8 grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews He is predeceased by his parents, his three brothers, Bradley, Calvin, and Gordon and son-in-law Louis H. Minney.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Jewish Healthcare Center for their kindness and care of Dudley.

Due to the current restrictions on public gatherings, services for Dudley will be private and a celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Park Congregational Church, 111 Park Ave., Worcester, MA 01609 or Oakham Congregational Church, 4 Coldbrook Road, Unit 12, Oakham, MA 01068.

Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester is assisting the family with arrangements. To share your thoughts and memories of Dudley, please visit his guestbook at www.mercadantefuneral.com.