Apple Festival loses its secretary
Published 4:10 am Tuesday, May 8, 2007
By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES-Randy Lowe is missed. He is missed, by his wife and children.
He is also missed by his large extended family comprised of the Apple Festival volunteers and board. Lowe died the first week of April.
"This is hard. I hope I can get through it," said Craig Crocker, current president of Apple Festival, when asked about Lowe.
He said he will miss Lowe keeping the crew up to beat. Lowe was the festival secretary for three to four years and he managed to let everyone know what they needed to be doing each step along the way.
"Those closest to him could tell when he was going through the pain he constantly endured, but he never complained. He fulfilled his obligations. It took such courage for him day to day. Even in the hospital, he would call to make sure we were doing all we were supposed to," Crocker said.
"I remember teasing him about if he was going to make a meeting one night. He sent his spare pair of legs to sit at his place," said Lolli Estel, office manager for the festival.
Both of Lowe's legs had been amputated. He was confined to a wheelchair when the pain was too great. He underwent dialysis three times a week.
"He not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk. Up to the end, he was still concerned and looking out for others. He was at peace with himself," Crocker said.
A date has yet to be set for presentation of a plaque to his family, that will be hung above his chair at board meetings. Hoosier Trophy created the plaque at no charge because of the association he had formed with the company and the Apple Festival.
Lowe and his wife, Sue Meyer-Lowe, were involved with the festival even before they were married. They were responsible for the Exceptional Citizen's Day each year.
On that day, the carnival rides and many of the vendors open, while the gates stay closed to the public. Individuals with physical and mental handicaps, many of whom never get to go to a carnival, are guests for the day and everyone receives a gift package from the fair.
Thanks to the Lowes' efforts, the fair welcomed 750 exceptional citizens to the daylong event last year. Firemen, police and even football teams are recruited to help for the day.
"Even though dad was handicapped himself, he never saw himself that way. He was still barking orders when we would take him from hospice for his dialysis. Every Friday night of the festival, he would send me out to get the sausage for the Saturday morning breakfast he would fix each year," Katie Lowe, his daughter, said.
"Sausage and gravy and biscuits for all of us. Randy loved to eat. He would often eat things he wasn't supposed to. If we questioned him, he would say it was only a small portion and he liked it. If we pointed out he had just had three helpings, he would say they were still small," Crocker said.
At peace with himself, Lowe was determined to leave everything in good order for those who would have to take over his responsibilities.
He gathered everything in a briefcase and made sure that Crocker knew where everything was.
"His mind was as sharp as a tack. When I would go to visit him, he would bark out commands. Don't forget about this. Be sure to remember that. We went through the briefcase detail by detail. I still haven't been able to open that briefcase," Crocker said.
"Randy's faith was really strong. I remember asking him if he were afraid. He said, no, he was ready. At the funeral, meeting his friends from Fairland Church, they all said the same things about him we do," said Estel.
"With Dad everybody was family. I would bring the kids I work with, who had no family close, home for holidays and the only thing he ever said was 'is that all you've brought?' Family, faith and fair – those are the things that were most important to my Dad," Katie said.
This year all the crew and board plan to carry on with the fair, just the way Lowe would expect them to – right down the special Saturday breakfast.
"It probably won't taste the same, but we will do it in memory of Dad," Katie said.