Douglas J. Dawe

Douglas J. “Doug” Dawe, 72, of Exeter, NH, passed away peacefully at Portsmouth Regional Hospital on Saturday, June 7, 2025, after a lengthy illness.

Doug was born in Lawrence, MA, son of the late Alvin W. Dawe and Phyllis (Wood) Dawe. He graduated from the Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical School, class of 1970. At the age of 50 he felt the call of God to ministry and enrolled in Palmer Theological Seminary, graduating with a Certificate in Christian Studies in 2006. He truly had a gift for ministering children and the elderly. After graduation he was called to pastor the First Baptist Church of Newton, NH, until it closed. Most recently Doug and his wife, Diane, provided a weekly Christian worship service to the residents of the Berkeley Retirement Home and Nursing Center in Lawrence. He also became a professional school bus driver for 18 years, transporting students for Student Transportation of America and for First Student. He retired in 2024 from his most fulfilling job, which brought him such joy, transporting special needs students for Any Eventz and Transportation in Barrington, NH.

Doug loved adventure and loved to travel. He was also an amateur photographer and history buff. He and Diane took trips to Nova Scotia, Alaska, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, Virginia, and Gettysburg, PA. Many wonderful memories were made while pulling the pop-up camper and driving the RV. From an early age he was fascinated with trains, chased trains, built model train layouts, dined on dinner trains, and rode trains wherever his travels took him. Doug was a member of First-Calvary Baptist Church in North Andover, and also of Tower Hill Church in Auburn, NH.

Doug leaves his wife and partner, Diane E. Dickie, whom he married in 2000. He is also survived by his daughter, Heidi E. Crowell, and her partner Christopher Trout, of Groton, MA, his daughter, Heather M. Alnwick, and her husband, Gregory M. Alnwick, of Gorham, NH, stepson David E. Buco and his wife, Charlene E. Buco, of Hooksett, NH, four grandsons, Ethan E. Crowell, Teagan C. Crowell, Liam M. Alnwick, and Dominic F. Buco, many cousins, several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother William A. Dawe, USN, and by his wife, Diane C. (Faucher) Dawe.

Friends and family are invited to attend a funeral service to be held in the Lydia Searles Stern Chapel at the Berkeley Retirement Home, 150 Berkeley St., Lawrence, MA on Monday, June 16, 2025. Reverand Jeffrey B. Snyder of First-Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. An hour of visitation will be held from 10:00 to11:00 a.m. followed by the service at 11.00 am. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Methuen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the William A. Dawe Scholarship Fund, c/o First-Calvary Baptist Church, 586 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA 01845.

Arrangements are by the Dewhirst Boles Funeral Home 80 Broadway Methuen. To leave an online condolence, please visit Doug’s tribute page at  www.dewhirstbolesfuneral.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Douglas J. Dawe, please visit our floral store.