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Eleanor Dower, Nursing

Eleanor O. Dower, Nu’56, GEd’59, a longtime faculty member at Penn Nursing, died on May 6 at the age of 94.

Ms. Dower graduated from Catasauqua High School in 1939 and from Allentown Business College in 1942. She worked in the accounting department for the Lehigh Valley Railroad for six years while saving money to attend nursing school. She graduated from the Reading Hospital School of Nursing in 1951 and worked there as supervisor of health services until 1953. She then joined Penn as a part-time nurse while earning her BS in nursing education, which she completed in 1956. She then became an instructor here and assistant to the dean of nursing. While working, she obtained her master’s degree in nursing education in 1959.

She went on to work for Widener University’s School of Nursing for 20 years until her retirement in 1987, when she gained emeritus status.

She was a member of Sigma Theta Tau and Pi Lambda Honor Societies, and was listed in Who’s Who in American Women, Who’s Who in Health Care and Outstanding Educators of America.

She is survived by her sisters, Frances Whipple and Caroline Barrett.

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