PORTLAND — David Alan Aschauer, 58, of Portland, died unexpectedly Aug. 22 following an incident that occurred while competing in a triathlon in Cape Elizabeth.

He was born on March 8, 1953, in Springfield, Ill., a son of Joseph Henry and Martha Glenn Aschauer.

In 1975 he received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Kansas. He received his Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of Rochester.

He was the Elmer W. Campbell Professor of Economics at Bates College, where he was known by students as an intelligent man and a difficult, but fair professor. Prior to joining Bates College, he was a senior economist on the board of governors at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and a professor at the University of Michigan. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Kiev, and Bowdoin College. Before leaving to teach in Kiev, he spent a great deal of time teaching himself how to speak and read in fluent Russian.

During his career he received many awards, including the Who’s Who in Economics in 1995, and the Roy Crum Research Award in 1991. Due to his expertise in infrastructure and economics, he was frequently called upon to speak, testify, and advise groups, including the U.S. Congress, The World Bank, the CIA and the U.S. EPA.

Although he excelled in his professional life, he was most proud of his role as a father and grandfather. He and his former wife, Sarah, raised their three children in Brunswick, where they lived for 20 years. When his children were young, he was a fixture at all of their sporting events, and was happy to see his children graduate college and witness the birth of his three beloved grandchildren.

Passionate about physical fitness, he was exceptionally skilled in yoga, and participated in many running races in Maine. He never stopped learning, and could be found many mornings at a coffee shop in Portland reading the latest economic news. His favorite places in the world were Onekama, Mich., and Willard Beach in South Portland.

He is survived by his former wife, Sarah Aschauer of Auburn; his daughter, Erika Rodrigue, her husband Luke Rodrigue, and their three children, Grace, Oliver and Lucy of Augusta; his two sons, Nicholas Aschauer of Auburn, and Henry Aschauer of Tacoma, Wash.; his sister, Ann Osborne, and his two brothers, Joseph and Martin Aschauer.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s the Baptist Church All Saints Parish in Brunswick on Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. The service will be followed by a reception at the Muskie Archives at Bates College in Lewiston.

Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.

Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.

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