Soldier, businessman.
Born at Victoria, British Columbia on 29 October 1913, he was raised by his father and older siblings after the death of his mother. He lived in Victoria until 1929, then left the province to work as a salesman in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and eventually Winnipeg. He volunteered for the Canadian Army after the start of the Second World War. Part of his basic training was in England, where he met his future wife, Pat Flaherty, a Canadian girl whose family was travelling and visiting relatives when they were marooned in England as war erupted.
He was one of a handful of Canadian soldiers selected by the Canadian Military Intelligence to receive specialized commando training. They were recruited and trained for Operation Oblivion run by British Security Coordination, part of the British Special Operations Executive. The top-secret training facility, referred to as Commando Bay, is now a heritage site in the Okanagan Provincial Park. In September 1988, a bronze plaque was erected in honour of the 13 Chinese Canadian agents of Force 136 who trained there. The soldiers were all Chinese Canadians who went to fight for Canada behind enemy lines.
Lowe was discharged in 1945 after having travelled the globe as a soldier. When he returned to Winnipeg after the war, he found work with his brother Tom in the produce industry. He happened to meet Pat Flaherty (?-2003) again when her family returned to Winnipeg after the war. They were married on 2 February 1948 and remained in Winnipeg, where they raised three children. Again partnering with his brother, he helped develop a successful restaurant business. Later, he worked for a time in military security, from which he retired in 1975. He spent his retirement years pursuing his many hobbies, which included cooking, painting, and sculpting. He was known for his optimism and his insightful and inspiring contribution to conversations.
He died at Winnipeg on 19 January 2005.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 25 January 2005.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 13 March 2022
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