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BETHLEHEM — Gordon Mowrer, best known in Bethlehem as the "Main Street Mayor" for preserving the historic downtown and positioning it to become a tourist destination, died Tuesday morning in Moravian Village nursing home after a battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 80. When elected in 1974, the 36-year-old Mowrer became the city's youngest mayor and brought bold policy ideas to the office. He reversed the trend of demolishing old buildings as part of urban renewal and pushed to restore Bethlehem's historic character. Honored in 2013 with a bronze plaque on Main Street for his efforts, Mowrer is credited for ushering in Victorian lighting and slate sidewalks on Main Street, complementing the architectural details on buildings historic district preservationists so diligently worked to protect. That ambience prompted other property owners to invest in storefronts and helped brand the downtown as a destination, making shopping an experience — a concept "lifestyle malls" would replicate decades later. In his retirement years, Mowrer returned to government as a city councilman, eventually leading the charge with then Councilman Joseph Leeson Jr. to try to ban casinos from the city when Pennsylvania legalized slot machines. The ban failed and Las Vegas Sands Corp. ultimately secured a license to open a casino on former Bethlehem Steel property on the South Side. But Mowrer and Leeson are credited with providing a forum for the city to have the debate. And when the public debate was over, Mowrer was quick to extend an olive branch. He often said he wanted to work with the Sands casino to make it the best possible project for the city and would publicly praise the casino for its part in redeveloping the old Steel property. Mayor Robert Donchez, who campaigned both for and against Mowrer as a boy and worked alongside him as a councilman, said that type of behavior was vintage Mowrer — being able to work past differences and find common ground. He described Mowrer as a "man of integrity" who treated everyone with respect. The city of Bethlehem honored former mayor and city councilman Gordon Mower with a dedication of the new Moravian Star in the pavement at the intersection of Main and Market streets in downtown Bethlehem in February 2013. "Bethlehem lost a great community leader," Donchez said. George Mowrer, Gordon's son, said his father had been in hospice for a week and a half. George Mowrer said he thought he was prepared for his father to pass, but hearing stories about him from so many people Tuesday brought the family to tears. "It was amazing to hear about he touched the lives of so many people," George Mowrer said. Born to Margaret and Clifton Mowrer in 1936, Gordon Mowrer was the younger of their two sons. His father owned and operated Mowrer's Dairy in Bethlehem and in 1929 opened a small store nearby called The Cup, which was later sold and became a Bethlehem ice cream institution. Mowrer went to Dickinson College in Carlisle, Cumberland County, but said he left college after spending too much time with his fraternity and getting bad grades. He credits the Navy for straightening him out. When he returned to Dickinson two years later, he earned a 3.5 grade-point average and wrestled for the school while earning his degree. He went into the insurance business and met Mary Thaeler, a graduate student and the daughter of Moravian missionaries, on a blind date in 1960. But, he soon found out, she was about to announce her engagement to another man. "I did what I consider to be the best sales job that I ever did in my life, selling her on my idea that the other fellow was not the one that she wanted; it was me that she wanted," Mowrer wrote in his self-published biography "The Comeback Kid." They were married Dec. 29, 1960, in Nicaragua and had three children: George, Ruthie and Meg. Their father loved being around young people, serving on the YMCA board and regularly hosting exchange students. He led meetings for Young Life, a nondenominational Christian ministry, in his basement. (Future Mayor John Callahan met his future wife during one of those meetings in Mowrer's basement). Mowrer developed a calling to public service he likely got from his family, especially his father, a city councilman during the 1960s. A proponent of year-round tourism, Mowrer took his show on the road with a video he showed to community groups as he made the case to draw visitors to the Christmas City beyond the holidays. His most visible legacy, though, will likely be his contributions to his city's Main Street, said Lynn Cunningham, a vice president for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. "The downtown would have looked a heck of a lot different if it weren't for him," Cunningham said. "He was one of the good guys. He was kind. He loved the city. He was a true public servant." Mowrer was perceived to be so popular that City Council passed an ordinance limiting the mayor to two consecutive terms, fearing that Mowrer was young enough to lead the city for decades. But, in an upset in 1977, Mowrer lost the election for a second term in office to the late Paul Marcincin, a Democratic rival. Local lore has it that the defeat was over the Christmas tree lights. Mowrer later went back to school to earn a master's degree in pastoral counseling and was ordained by the Moravian Church in 1992. In addition to serving as a church pastor, he was a part-time chaplain at St. Luke's Hospital for 28 years Richard Santee, legal counsel for the Moravian Church Northern Province, pointed out that 30 years after Mowrer was elected mayor and was enjoying retirement, he stepped back into elected office not for the prestige, but to help his community during a difficult time as the city sought to rebuild itself after the demise of Bethlehem Steel. Mowrer ran for City Council in 2004 and held office until he retired in 2012. While a kind face and warm voice at the council table, Mowrer was not afraid to make waves at City Hall. Mowrer was perceived by some as a council ally of Callahan, who served as mayor from 2004-13, yet proposed the gambling ban even as Callahan rallied behind the Sands — arguably Callahan's signature accomplishment during his decade at the helm. Mowrer took some controversial positions, favoring a ban smoking on city properties and talking on a cellphone while driving. He shepherded a time limit on public comments during council meetings that still stands. Mowrer often offered guidance to younger public officials, including Callahan, who took over as mayor at an even younger age — 34 — than Mowrer. Callahan recalled, especially during contentious budget debates, Mowrer would often later advise him: "This, too, shall pass." Callahan last saw Mowrer 31/2 weeks ago during Bethlehem 275th anniversary celebration at SteelStacks. The former mayors were being introduced and Mowrer was waiting in a chair. The physical challenges of Parkinson's were taking their toll on Mowrer, Callahan recalled. Then, Mowrer was introduced to the crowd. "His back straightened, and his chin went up. His face brightened. The crowd was cheering for him," Callahan said. "I watched him become Gordon Mowrer. It was an amazing moment." 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