Donald R. Lowe
My Father, Donald Lowe, passed away Thursday, August 10, 2017. He loved
his family and his country with all of his being. He really enjoyed his
beloved “Jungle Skippers” and the reunions he attended every year. This eulogy written by my wife and read by my son at his
funeral.
A journey in Service to Others - Donald Ross Lowe
There
is a picture in the slide show presentation of Don’s life that
previously made quite a hit on Facebook when his grandson posted it to
help celebrate Don’s 90th birthday. Most of us here know exactly what
that picture was all about. There, on a powerful looking motorcycle
that looked like it was ready to take off full throttle, sat a young,
handsome, virile man. That man was Donald Lowe, and he looked very much
in control of the powerful machine that he was sitting on. In studying
that picture and the man on the bike, it is apparent how strong this
person looked and how independent he must have been. It just said so
much about a man that we all loved and respected so much. This picture
is about a journey and it is time for us to take a look at Don’s life
journey.
Before
we travel further on, let us consider another picture in the slide
show, the one that shows the start of Don’s journey. His tall thin
father, Truman Lowe, stands proudly behind his wife Florence, who gently
cradles her newborn son. This couple had waited many years for their
first child to arrive, but before too long, two daughters and a son
would complete the Truman Lowe family.
Don
was fortunate to have such lovely parents. Truman worked as a farmer,
but also would serve his country during the WWI and serve his community
as a township trustee. Florence was a great mother and teacher of her
children. She was patient, but insisted that the job be done right.
Her daughters became skilled homemakers and also managed careers outside
their households. Her sons became self reliant, initially starting off
in business together, but eventually pursuing work that appealed to
each of them. The example these two loving parents set for their
children set the course for their children’s future success.
Pictures
of the Lowe family growing up show two beautiful young women, Ruth and
Jean, as well as two handsome brothers, Donald and Richard. The
siblings always seemed happy together. There is a a particular picture
of these siblings that probably captured Don’s send off to join the Army
Air Corp. Don stood tall and looked like he was willing to accept the
difficult challenge of fighting a war very far from Peoria, Ohio. He
was dressed in a suit and held his suitcase, ready to set foot into the
wide world. His sisters and brother stood beside him. They must have
wondered what the future of their 18 year old brother held.
Don’s
service during WWII impacted his entire life. It seemed that for many
years his boys did not know what he did during the war. After
discovering picture albums containing shots of a youthful man in his
military uniforms, his sons started asking questions. Also, members of
his military unit began to organize annual reunions, and that is when
the family began to understand what it meant to be a Jungle Skipper. As
with all war time jobs, Don was assigned one fraught with danger. His
group was responsible for flying supplies to the ground troops. The
planes flew low over the tropical forests, insuring that other soldiers
received the supplies necessary to carry on the war. Since Don served
in the Philippines, he was very close to the military action and he did
watch the Battle of Leyte Gulf. When the war ended, Don returned home
to find that his mother had left the Christmas tree up far past December
25th. Although honorably discharged from the regular Army-Air Force,
Don continued his service to his country for another 20 years in the
83rd ARCOM army reserve unit.
Like
many returning WWII vets, Don joined a motorcycle club and that is how
the infamous picture of him about to take off on the motorcycle came
about. However, his motorcycle journey did not last too long, since he
had found a fine young woman, Warrenetta Ritchie, whom he would marry in
1948. There was no time now for riding and carousing with the guys on a
motorcycle. Don and Warrenetta’s family would quickly grow with the
birth of the three oldest sons, Steve in 1949, Jack in 1950 and then
Mike in 1952. These three sons, brought joy for both Don and
Warrenetta. There are many pictures of Don proudly holding these three
energetic boys. In some, the boys wore miniature Army uniforms that Don
brought back from summer camp training. The Donald Lowe family however,
was not quite finished. Two younger sons would form a new union of
brothers. Jeff arrived in 1960 followed by Mark in 1963. These five
boys were the pride and joy of both Don and Warrenetta. These parents
would repeat the examples set by their parents and teach the brothers to
be self reliant.
During
the time that his family grew, Don was journeying forward building his
Sohio service station into a business well-known for providing excellent
mechanical and customer care to it’s expanding customer base.
Marysville folks knew if their cars needed new brakes or tires, or a
fill up and the windows washed, they would be treated with courtesy and
expertise. Don hired many young men and taught them how to work. Among
those men, were his sons and grandson. Warrenetta also was a frequent
sight at the station, working in the office and keeping the paperwork up
to date. Those who worked with Don knew that if he scheduled a job for
the day, he expected that job to be completed on time. When the
pressure was on, Don worked harder and expected the same of his
employees. His store was only closed two days a year, Thanksgiving and
Christmas, days associated with family gatherings.
As
Don grew his business, he was rewarded by Sohio for his excellence.
Among those rewards, was the accumulation of Sohio points. These points
enabled Don and Warrenetta to become world travelers. Often, their
younger two sons accompanied them on their trips. Even the three oldest
sons enjoyed the fruits of Don’s hard work, when they were invited to
travel to Las Vegas with Don, courtesy of his earned points.
Don
did not stop serving the public following his retirement. He ran for
and was elected as a Paris Township trustee. He took this job
seriously. When a constituent called him up about a problem, Don was
not satisfied to just listen. He would get in his truck and travel to
the problem site. He was then able to deliberate about the appropriate
solution to the problem. With no regular job to go to, Don had time to
participate in local service organizations that he had joined. He
became particularly active in the American Legion and served as a post
commander and attended Legion conventions throughout Ohio. When the
Jungle Skippers started their reunions, Don and Warrenetta traveled all
over the United States, making new friends and on two occasions serving
as hosts for the event.
When
Warrenetta became seriously ill with complications from diabetes, Don
became her primary care giver. He was a skilled care giver, and he
never complained about the difficult job of keeping his wife’s damaged
feet clean and free of infection. He always knew the path he needed to
be on, and he traveled it faithfully no matter how rough the road was.
When Warrenetta, died, Don became a lonely man.
Because
he was an active man and liked to be involved, Don took care to keep
his body in good physical shape. He joined the Memorial Health Center,
and it was there that a new journey began. He noticed a volunteer,
Vivian Stratton, and decided to take a chance and asked her for a date.
From that first date on, the two became a couple, and within a year,
they became husband and wife. Don had a renewed interest in traveling
and during the first years of their marriage, Don made sure that Vivian
saw many new places. They continued to travel to the Jungle Skipper
reunions and Vivian became a staunch supporter of these former airmen.
Don attended his last military reunion in September at Dyess Air Force
Base in Abilene, Texas. It was at this reunion, that two of his sons
witnessed the great respect that the participants gave to this WWII
veteran and fellow airman.
Don’s
last day of his life journey included a short trip to check on his
beloved garden. He also took his final flight on that day. He is a man
that we will miss each day. He provided guidance, but allowed his
children to find their way. If one of his sons presented him with a
problem, Don would carefully consider it, and by the next day, he would
provide a wise solution to the problem. He gave many young people the
opportunity to learn how to work and grow. He was always there for his
family, and never quit returning his time and talent to his country and
local community.
Farewell, Don. Hope your next journey is as grand as the one you shared with us. Love you.
Take Care! Love ya! Jeanne Lowe