BEN LOWEN

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BEN LOWEN Ben passed away peacefully on Tuesday afternoon, September 5, 2006 at St. Boniface Hospital, after a year long struggle with cancer. With him were Bea, his loving wife of 65 years, and his children, Dorothy, David, Brian, and his wife Ruth. His brother Gordon; sisters, Anne, Bertha, and Irene; plus five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren also survive Ben. He was predeceased by brothers, Bill and Irv; and his sisters, Lottie and Catherine. Born in Acme, AB in 1919, he moved to Winnipeg shortly thereafter, where the family settled in the Norwood area. Lyndale Drive was home for much of his youth, as well as later, when Ben and Bea would build their family home there. After finishing high school, he attended business college for two years before volunteering for service in the Second World War. Ben spent some time training other soldiers in Canada, before being sent overseas with the Royal Canadian Air Force. There, he was stationed in England, spending his tour flying in Lancaster bombers as navigator and bomb-aimer. He was proud of his time spent in service, and though he was later president of the International Wartime Pilots and Observers Association, he never dwelt on war, nor lived in the past. Upon his return to civilian life, Ben became involved in his father's business Lon's Stone Works. Eventually taking the reins after his father passed away, he grew the operation to include locations in Belleville, ON; Red Deer, AB; and a second site in Winnipeg. Ben embarked on a second career with federal civil service, working through a series of positions in various departments. He moved steadily upward, till his final posting as Senior Civilian Staff Relations Officer with the Department of Defence (Western Region plus Air Command nationally). Ben's gentlemanly nature, plus his ability to see both sides of a disagreement, led to his great success in the labour negotiations field. Ben and his family had a whole other world, however, with their cottage at Falcon Lake. The original cottage was built in 1950 and Ben added a boathouse with a cabin above it in 1965. Like a lot of families, the lake life became a focal point for the Lowens, and remains that way today. Ben especially enjoyed building projects, sailing the Jolly Roger, long walks and bike rides to visit with his coffee buddies. This, along with his regular visits to the YMCA, helped Ben maintain a remarkable fitness level well into his later years. Ben's family would like to extend many thanks for all the help and support from the residents at Fred Douglas Place, and to the staff of the Palliative Care Unit at St. Boniface Hospital. A memorial service will be held at Knox United Church, 400 Edmonton St., on Friday, September 8, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Ben's name to the Palliative Care Unit of the St. Boniface Hospital, would be appreciated. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 07, 2006