Peter Osborne Willauer

FALMOUTH – Peter Osborne Willauer, known as “POW” to many, loving husband of Carol Nugent Willauer, passed away peacefully on Nov. 6, 2025, at his home in Falmouth. He was 90 years old. Peter was a visionary educator and pioneer in the field of outdoor education and leadership.

Born Nov. 24, 1934, Peter was the eldest child of
Arthur Osborne Willauer and Alice Lowell Homer. After graduating from Noble & Greenough School and Princeton University, Peter taught sailing at the Naval Academy. Later he earned a master’s in education from Harvard, while serving as a teaching fellow at Phillips Andover.

While teaching at Groton School, Peter founded the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, the first Outward Bound sea school in the US in 1964. With his late wife Betty, they built the organization into a vibrant community that became the largest Outward Bound School in the world. Peter went on to establish the Chesapeake Baltimore Outward Bound School and the Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School. Returning to Hurricane Island with his wife Carol in 2009, Peter was a Founding Trustee of the Hurricane Island Center for Science & Leadership.

Peter was predeceased by his first wife Betty. He is survived by his wife, Carol, his brother W. Bradford Willauer and wife Ann of Prouts Neck; sons Charles S. Willauer and wife Gale of Edgecomb, David O. Willauer and wife Cathleen of Annapolis, Md., Langley Willauer and his partner Dana Rae Warren of Hope; and beloved extended family including eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, 143 State Street, Portland, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Peter O. Willauer Fund for Hurricane’s Future. Donations can be made online, or checks can be made payable to the “Hurricane Island Foundation” and mailed to:

Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership

P.O. Box 1280

Rockland, ME 04841