Friends, family and coworkers of Howard Township Supervisor Dale Lowe, who died Christmas afternoon at the age of 77, will remember him as a dedicated public servant and family man.

“He was a great person who cared deeply about the township,” said Sheri Wozniak, Howard Township Clerk. “He loved the people and will be remembered for the many things he accomplished.”

Lowe was elected as township supervisor in November 2012. Prior to that, he served two terms as a Cass County Commissioner.

He served on several boards and committees through his life, including:

• Board chair of the Woodland Behavioral Health Care Network

• Recipients rights advisory and appeals committees

• Southwest Michigan Substance Abuse Advisory Council

• Southwest Michigan Affiliation Administrative Governance Council

• Howard Township Zoning Board of Appeals

• Claims Committee

• Emergency Food/Shelter Committee

• Niles Area Transportation Study

Cass County Commissioner Robert Wagel worked alongside Lowe for many years. Wagel said Lowe was a good friend and a hardworking commissioner.

“He was always prepared for the meetings and he thoroughly enjoyed the area he represented, as well as the whole county,” Wagel said. “I will remember him as a close friend and remember his dedication to being a public servant. He found that to be very satisfying.

“He would research things we were working on as commissioners and he would really look into each item. He got the facts before he made a decision.”

Howard Township Treasurer Linda Rudlaff said she heard the news that Lowe passed away Christmas afternoon.

She said he had been battling cancer.

“I was very upset,” Rudlaff said. “He was a great guy and truly loved the residents of Howard Township. He was a wonderful man and we are going to miss him.”

Lowe grew up in Niles and lived on Barron Lake in Howard Township for 58 years. Christine Becker, Lowe’s oldest daughter, described him as a great father who raised four children with his wife, Mary Ann.

“He was a good family man and he loved hunting and fishing. He was an avid outdoorsman and had a lot of friends he would go fishing and hunting with,” Becker said. “He had an excellent sense of humor and is going to be greatly missed.”